Tap. 8515. 
IRIS MELLITA. 
Thrace ‘aad Asia Minor. 
Trtpacnar. Tribe Inmpraz. 
Tris, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 686. 
Iris mellita, Janka in Magyar Tud. Akad. Math. Termesz. vol. xii. (1874) 
p. 172, et in Termesz. Husetek, vol. i, (1887) p. 243 (p. 2 seors. impress.) ; 
‘Bak. in Gard. Chron. 1876, vol. vi. p. 709, et in Handd. Irid. p. 30; 
Velenovsky, Fl. Bulg. p. 588; Dykes, The genus Tris, p. 149; a affinis 
I. Reichenbachii, Heuff., a qua differt spathis perdiu viridibus divergentibus 
perigonii tubum exponentibus magis acuminatis, perigonil tubo longiore. 
Hevba vhizomate digitis crassitudine vel minore. Folia dense fasciculata, 
ensata, magis minusve falcata, sub anthesi ad 6 cm. longa et ad 1°5 em. 
lata, demum elongata, viridia, laevia, nervis primariis tenuibus utrinque 
circiter 6. Caulis brevissimus vel elongatus, ad 12 cm. attingens, 1-3- 
(plerumque 2-)florus. Spathae herbaceae, perdiu virides, oblongo- 
lanceolatae, acuminatae, subtumidae, carinatae, divergentes, perigonii 
tubum exponentes, majores ultra 6 cm. longae. Pedicellus brevissimus. 
lerigonii tubus virescens, Superne rubro-maculatus, 4-4°5 cm. longns, 
rarius longior, spathas superans; segmenta exteriora limbo deflexo tubo 
appresso obovato-vblongo subemarginato 3°5-4 cm. longo 1°5-2 em. lato 
vel lutea, basin versus rubro-maculata et striolata, margine undulato, 
Stamina filamentis albis, antheris albidis paulo bievioribus. Ovarium 
cylindricum, apice attenuatum, 1 em. longum ; styli rami anguste oblongi, 
2-2-5 em. longi, pallidi, cristae lobis dentatis oblique late ovatis. say oe 
trigona, 10-11 cm. longa. Semina bk ites saturate rubro-fusca, 
rugosa.—I, rubro-marginata, Bak. in G Chro . 
I. Straussii, Leichtl. ex Micheli in Rev. Hort. 1899, p. 363; Dykes in Gard. 
Chron. 1909, vol. xlv. p. 391.—O. Starr. 
The charming Jris which forms the subject of our illustra- 
tion is one for the material of which we are indebted to the 
Hon. Mr. N. GC. Rothschild, who has also presented the plant 
itself to the Kew Collection. It was obtained in the first 
instance, so Mr. Rothschild informs us, from Mersina in 
Cilicia. In referring this Jris to I, mellita wt will be ob- 
served that Dr. Stapf applies the name. first employed by 
Professor Janka to a plant from Thrace in such a way as to 
include the /ris from Asia Minor described by Mr. Baker as 
I. rubro-marginata, and at the same time yet another plant 
which fourteen years ago was introduced by the late Mr. 
Serremper, 1913. 
