Tab. 7379. 

 iris ateopuepueea, vdv. ateofusoa. 

 Native of Palestine. 



Nat. Ord. Ibidem. — Tribe Mor^ee jr. 

 Genus Iris, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook./. Gen. Plant, vol. iii. p. 686.) 



Iris (Oncocyclus) atropurpurea, var. atrqfusca ; rhizomate crasso cylindrico, 

 foliis ensiformibus flaccidis pallide viridibus, caule pedali unifloro, spathaa 

 valvis magnis lanceolatis ventricosia pallide viridibus, pedicello bre- 

 vissimo, periantbii tubo elongato cylindrico, limbo atrofusco, segmentis 

 exterioribus obovato-cuneatis reflexis xmgue velutino-piloso, segmentis 

 interioribu8 majoribns erectis obovatis unguiculatis, styli ramis dorso 

 convexis appendicibus magDis quadratis reflexis, antberis magnis lineari- 

 bus albis. 



I. atrofusca, Baker in Gard. Chron. 1893, vol. i. p. 384. 



A full account of the Irises of the subgenus Oncocyclus, 

 by Professor Michael Foster, with directions for their 

 cultivation, appeared lately in the Garden (1893, vol. i. 

 p. 130). They all inhabit Palestine, Syria, and Asia 

 Minor, and require less humidity and more sunshine than 

 we can give them in England, and in their native homes 

 die down to the rootstock and remain at rest for a large 

 part of the year. As above cited, I described the present 

 plant in 1893 as a species, from specimens procured from 

 the east of the Jordan by Messrs. Herb and Wulle of 

 Naples. Now after studying fuller material I look upon 

 it as a variety of atropurpurea. Baker, which was first 

 imported in 1889 from Palestine by Messrs. Dammann 

 and Co. Our plate was drawn from specimens flowered 

 in Gloucestershire in April, 1894, by H. J. Elwes, Esq. 



Descr. Rootstock thick, fleshy, cylindrical. Leaves about 

 six to a stem, ensiform, weak, pale green, the outer some- 

 times a foot long at the flowering season. Peduncle one- 

 flowered, a foot long, nearly hidden by the sheathing inner 

 leaves. Spathe-Y&ives lanceolate, pale green, ventricose 

 three or four inches long ; pedicel very short. Perianth- 

 October 1st, 1894. 



