Tas. 7986. 
TRIS BISMARCKIANA. 
_ Native of Palestine. 
Nat. Ord. Intpacraz.—Tribe MorazE. 
Genus Iris, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 686.) 
Iris (Oncocyclus) bismarckiana ; herba circa 18 poll. alta, rhizomate brevi, 
foliis ensiformibus ad 9 poll. longis et 1 poll. latis glaucis, scapo unifloro, 
spathis lanceolatis viridibus 3 poll. longis, perianthii segmentis exteriori- 
bus late ovatis acutis 23 poll. longis fere 2 poll. latis luteis dense 
pbrunneo-purpureo maculatis medio macula purpureo-fusca 7 lin. diam. 
notatis, segmentis interioribus orbicularibus 23 poll. diam. unguiculatis 
dilute ceruleis venis maculisque lilacinis, stigmatibus oblongis cristis 
8 lin. longis colore perianthii segmentis exterioribus similibus. 
I. bismarckiana, Dammann ex Wien. Ill. Gartenzeit. 1890, p. 352, fig. 72; 
Dammann, Catal. 1892, p. 25, fig. 26; Baker, Handb. Iridee, p. 18. 
I. bismarkiana, Sprenger in Gard. Chron. 1904, vol. ii. p. 222. - 
The Oncocyclus section of Iris, which is characterized by 
the outer perianth-segments being diffusely hairy on the 
claw and lower part of the blade, contains the most con- 
spicuous species of the genus. On this account many, 
which have been brought into cultivation, have had 
specific names given to them on very slight differential 
characters. The most widely cultivated species of this 
section, as well as the largest-flowered one of the genus, 
is I susiana, Linn. (B. M. t. 91), while closely allied 
is L Gatesii, Foster (t. 7867), which differs from the 
present plant in the absence of a distinct blotch or 
“sional” on the outer perianth-segments. I. Sari, var. 
lurida, Boiss. (t. 6960) is a dwarf plant with smaller 
flowers than I. bismarckiana, and has the anther-cells 
adnate to the filament, instead of being inserted in a small 
pit on the back of the anther near its base. J. Lortetit, 
Barbey (t. 7251) much resembles this species, but it has 
short, truncate, dentate style-arms. 
TL. bismarekiana was introduced from Lebanon in 1888 
by Messrs. Dammann & Co., of Naples, but, like most 
_ species of the section Oncocyclus from Palestine, is some- 
what difficult to cultivate. The plant here figured was — 
NovemBeER Isr, 1904. 
