Tas. 8340. 
IRIS Witsonm. 
China. 
Trmpaceak. Tribe InmzEarz. 
Iris, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 686. 
Irie Wilsonii, C. H. Wright in Kew Bul, 1907, p. 821; affinis I. sibiricae, 
Line sed pedicellis et spathis herbaceis longis, floribus pleramque luteis 
istincta. 
Herba rhizomate brevi, collo ob vaginas vetustas solutas fibroso, Folia basal’a 
30-60 em. longa, 5-6 (rarius ad 9) mm. lata, apice brevyi oblique sub- 
incnrvo, laete viridia, laevia, saltem inferne inaequaliter nervosa, nervis 
mediis 3-4 quam ceteris magis prominentibus et conspicuis. Caulis 
2U-30 em. altus, cylindricus, 1-foliatns, folio eirciter 15 cm. longo infra 
medium orto foliis basalibus simili, 2-l-florus. Spathae magis minusve 
herbaceae, una saepe in laminam perbrevem abiens, 6-10 cm. longae, 
2-4 mm. latae, Pedicelli inaequales, longiores, ad 13 em. longi, Perianthii 
tubus viridis, 8-10 mm. longus, obtuse trigonus ; segmenta exteriora 4-5 em. 
longa limbo reflexo oblongo- vel obovato-elliptico 1*5-2 cm. lato luteo infra 
medium purpnred-venoso, ungue quam limbo paulo breviore 7-9 mm. lato 
margines versus copiose purpureo-venoso; segmenta interiora oblongo- 
lanceolata in unguem gracilem attenuata, 2-3°5 em. longa, 6-8 mm. lata, 
lutea. ilamenta 9-11 mm. longa; antherae albidae, 11-12 mm. longae. 
Ovarium obtase triquetrum, sub anthesi 1°5~1°8 cm. longum; styli rami 
subspathulato-lineares, superne 7-8 mm. latae, luteae, cristae lobis late 
ovatis eroso-defiticulatis; stigmate late triangulari. Capsula triquetra, 
oblonga, utrinque breviter attenuata, 3-3°5 em. longa. Semina oblique 
triquetro-ovoidea, apice truncata, nigro-fusca, 4-5 mm. longa.—O. Srapr, 
The Iris here figured was discovered by Mr. E. H. Wilson 
in Western China on behalf of Messrs. J. Veiteh & Sons, 
and the material on which our figure is based was supplied 
from a plant which flowered with them in July, 1909. 
Another plant, presented by them to Kew, also flowered 
simultaneously in the Iris collection, where it has grown 
freely under the conditions suitable for the well-known 
I. sibirica, Linn., which it resembles in habit. It appears 
to be quite hardy, and promises to prove a useful addi- 
tion to the list of garden Irises. In 1907 Mr. Wilson 
redisvovered this plant in Western Hupeh, growing in grass- 
lands near Fang Hsien, at about 7000 feet above sea-level. 
But in addition to the form here figured there is another 
and nearly related form, which flowered with Messrs. Veitch 
in 1907, colleeted by Mr. Wilson on their behalf at Fang in 
Central China, of more robust habit and with wider spathes 
which extend as far as or beyond the top of the perianth- 
OcrozrER, 1910. 
