Tab. 7604 

 IRIS Gbant-Duffii. 



Native of Palestine. 



Nat. Ord. Ibidem. — Tribe Mormejb. 

 Genua Iris, Linn. (Benth. & Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 686.) 



Ibis (Apogon) Granf-Duffii; rhizomate breviter repente, vagi nig brunneis 

 scariosis, foliis 5-6 linearibus firmis glaucis erectis, pedanculo mono- 

 cephalo foliis multo breviore, spathae valvis linearibus firmis viridibus, 

 pedicello producto, ovario cylindrico rostrato, perianthii pallide lutei 

 tubo brevi, aegmentia exterioribua oblanceolato-oblongis supra medium 

 patulis deorsum lineis transversalibus purpureis decoratia, segmentia 

 interioribus brevioribus erectis concoloribus oblanceolatis unguiculatis, 

 styli appendicibus pallide luteis lanceolatis. 



I. Grant-Duffii, Baker Handb. Irid. p. 7. 



This very distinct new Iris was first collected, so far as 

 our records show, [in 1864, by Mr. B. T. Lowne on the 

 banks of the river Kishon. Several years later it was 

 found by Sir M. E. Grant Duff in the plain of Esdraelon, 

 recognized as a distinct species, and introduced into culti- 

 vation. It comes nearest to two of the North American 

 species, I. tenax, Dougl. (Bot. Mag. tab. 3343), and /. Dou- 

 glasiana, Herb. (Bot. Mag. t. 6083). Our drawing was 

 made from a plant flowered by Mr. W. E. Gumbleton at 

 Queenstown in February, 1897. 



Descr. — Rhizome short, creeping. Base of the stem rather 

 swollen, surrounded by a truncate scariose brown sheath. 

 Leaves about six to a stem, linear, firm, erect, rather 

 glaucous, a foot and a half or two feet long at the flowering 

 season, flat, with a narrow, scariose, white margin. Stem 

 much shorter than the leaves, simple, bearing one or two 

 erect reduced leaves. Spathe-v&lves linear, firm, green, 

 three or four inches long. Pedicel an inch long. Ovary 

 cylindrical, rostrate, as long as the pedicel. Perianth pale 

 yellow ; tube very short ; outer segments oblanceolate- 

 oblong, three inches long, spreading from the middle, 

 furnished with an orange keel, and veined below the middle 

 July 1st. 1898. 



