Taz. 7251. 
IRIS Lorre. 
Native of Syria. 
Nat. Ord. Intppa.—Tribe Moramem, 
Genus Iris, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 686.) 
Iris (Oncoycius), Lortetii; rhizomate brevi crasso, foliis radicalibus 4-5 
ensiformibus falcatis glaucscentibus, caule brevi unifloro, spathe valvis 
magnis ventricosis pallide viridibus, pedicello brevi, ovario cylindrico- 
trigono, perianthii tubo cylindrico ovario squilongo, segmentis exteriori- 
bus reflexis obovatis pallide albo-lilacinis punctis minutis rubro-brunneis 
decoratis, ore atro-brunneo, ungue pilis glanduliferis conspersis brunneis 
proedito, segmentis interioribus incurvatis orbicularibus distincte ungui- 
culatis pallide lilacinis immaculatis, styli ramis latis dorso convexis ~ 
cristis magnis quadratis. 
I. Lortetii, Barbey in Boiss. FI. Orient. vol. v. p. 181; Herbar. Levant. t. 7. 
This section Oncocyclus of the genus Iris has received 
great attention of late years, and now we are acquainted 
with a dozen distinct species. It belongs entirely to the 
hot arid regions of Western Asia and the species therefore 
require special care in an English garden. Professor 
Foster dealt fully with this question in a lecture which he 
delivered during the present summer, which will be pub- 
lished shortly in extenso in the Journal of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. The present plant occupies an 
intermediate position between /. susiana and I. iberica, both 
of which have been figured in the Botanical Magazine, the 
former on tab. 91 and the latter on tab. 5847. It was 
first found by Dr. Lortet, after whom it is named, about 
the year 1880, in dry thickets on the slope of the southern 
part of the Lebanon range, at an elevation of about two 
thousand feet above sea-level. Our drawing was made 
from a plant flowered last May by H. J. Elwes, Esq., 
F.L.S., of Colesborn, Andoversford, Gloucestershire. We 
have it at Kew and it is doing well. 
Dzsor. Rootstock stout, short-creeping. Leaves four or 
five in a basal tuft, ensiform, weak, glaucous, falcate, 
under a foot long at the flowering time. Stem one-flowered 
Aveust Ist, 1892. 
