Tan. 6787. 
IRIS wexacona. — 
Native of the Southern United States. 
Nat. Ord. IntpEz.—Tribe Morzex. : 
Genus Iris, Linn.; (Benth. et Hook.f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 686.) 
In1s (Apogon) heragona ; rhizomate crasso breviter ‘repente, foliis ensiformibus 
viridibus, basalibus 2-3-pedalibus, caulinis elongatis, spathis szepissime bifloris, 
spathe valvis exterioribus oblongo-lanceolatis magnis, pedicello producte, ovario 
cylindrico hexagono, perianthii tubo brevi subcylindrico, limbo magno saturate 
lilacino, segmentis exterioribus obovato-unguiculatis, limbo patulo luteo 
carinato ungui wquilongo, segmentis interioribus oblanceolatis erectis exteri- 
oribus paulo brevioribus, stylo ungui equilongo appendicibus deltoideis, 
antheris magnis filamento longioribus. 
I. hexagona, Walt. Fl. Carol. p. 66; Elliot Bot. South Carol. vol. i. p. 46; 
Chapm. Fl. South United States, p. 472; Baker in Gard. Chron. N.S. 
vol. vi. p. 615; Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xvi. p. 461. - 
I. virginica, Miche. Fl. Bor. Amer. vol. i. p. 22; Pursh Fl. Bor. Amer. vol. i. 
p- 29, ew parte. \ 
This is a very distinct tall showy species of Iris, widely 
spread through the Southern United States, where it 
represents geographically its near allies, the more northern 
Tris versicolor and the Californian J. longipetala (Bot. Mag., 
tab. 5298). As it is restricted to the Southern States, it — 
probably will not grow with us successfully out of doors, 
but that still remains to be tried. At any rate it 1s a 
valuable acquisition to our stock of the cultivated species. 
It was introduced by Professor M. Foster, and it was from 
a specimen that he exhibited in June at the Royal Horti- 
cultural Society that our plate was drawn. 
i Drsor. Rootstock creeping, thicker than a man’s thumb. 
Flowering-stem two or three feet long, stout, erect, bearing 
two or three clusters of flowers, generally with two in each. 
Leaves green, ensiform, those of the base two or three feet 
long, an inch broad; those of the stem much overtopping 
the flowers. Outer spathe-valves oblong-lanceolate, green, 
three to six inches long. Flowers scentless, bright lilac. 
Pedicel and six-angled cylindrical ovary each about an inch 
NOVEMBER Ist, 1884, 
