open air in July, 1869. It is alsoa native of Tangiers in’ 
Morocco, of Genoa and Sicily. ; 
I have followed Mr. Baker, who has published a careful 
monograph of this genus, in separating Xiphion from Iris, 
chiefly on the ground of its totally different habit of growth ; 
the true species of Jris having creeping root-stocks, those of 
Xiphion coated bulbs. 
Descr. Bulb ovoid, one and a half to two inches long, 
covered with dark brown membranous coats that are pro- 
duced into a torn tube surrounding the base of the stem. 
Stem erect, slender, rigid, flexuous, two-thirds to one and a 
half feet high. Leaves 5-6 on the stem, convolute at the 
base, terminating in a very slender rigid flat limb not one- 
twelfth inch broad. Flowers solitary or two together, three 
inches in diameter, golden yellow, with brownish veins. Spathes 
two, ventricose, as long as or exceeding the perianth-tube, 
lanceolate, acute. Pedicel short, lengthening in front. Peri- 
anth-tube slender, one and a half inch long ; outer segments 
with an obovate retuse limb as long as the cuneate claw ; 
inner segments erect, spathulate-lanceolate, rather shorter 
_ than the outer. Stigmatic lobes broadly half-ovate, acute, 
as broad as the inner perianth segments.—J. D. H. 
Fig. 1, Ovary, and perianth tube; 2, stigmas:—both magnified. 
