Tridacewe.] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 371 
more than an alpine state of D, denudatum Don, with which it was placed by him in Dr.Wallich’s 
distribution. It differs chiefly in its shorter stems, and in the lateral segments of its lip being deeply 
fringed, instead of being slightly serrated ; the lamells in the middle of the lip seem also smaller and 
thinner. . 
Hab. On oaks on the Abbey-hill at Mussooree. 
169. IRIDACEZ., 
The Iridacee, named from the genus Jris, which is itself so called from the variety 
of colour of the flowers of its species, contain genera chiefly found in the temperate 
parts of the world, but which are not absent from purely tropical regions. They are 
chiefly abundant at the Cape of Good Hope, occur in Van Diemen’s Land and in 
Patagonia, as well as north in Carolina, Europe, and Siberia. 
Gladiolus, Trichonema, and Morea, occur in the northern hemisphere of the Old 
World, as well as at the Cape of Good Hope; the last has two species in S. America. 
Crocus, Pardanthus and Iris, alone come within the bounds of the Indian Flora. The 
first is usually considered as being confined to the south of Europe and the Caucasian 
region, but some species may be indigenous in Persia, where Saffron has long been known 
and cultivated even as an article of export, as it is in the present day. It is so like- 
wise in the valley of Cashmere, according to the testimony of Bernier, Forster, and 
Moorcroft ; but whence, indeed, I myself received bulbs in 1826, which flowered in the 
Saharunpore Botanic Garden, and of which a drawing was made (v. Tab. 90. fig. 1). 
This I consider to be only a variety of C. sativus, or common saffron,which has always 
been considered an Asiatic species early introduced into Europe. Pardanthus is 
common to China, Japan, and the Himalayas; and the same and only species, P. chi- 
nensis, is found in all. In the plains, both of the Peninsula and of Northern India, 
it is seen only in a cultivated state, flowering in the rainy season: but on Urukta 
and Kedarkanta I found it in a wild state, as it no doubt also is in Nepal. 
Iris, a genus, containing numerous species, common in the temperate parts of the 
northern hemisphere ; has also several in the Himalayas; one is also common in the 
gardens of India, and has probably long been known there. It may, perhaps, be iden- 
tical with the species referred by Dr. Roxburgh to J. chinensis, though Mr. Don thinks 
that my specimens belong to I. mepalensis, Four species of Jris have been discovered 
in these mountains ; J. mepalensis and decora in Nepal and Kemaon, and J. kemaonensis 
in the latter. These have all been found further to the N.W., as on Surkunda, Urukta, 
Kedarkanta, Choor and Lundour. J. decora I have also received from Pungee in 
Kunawur, and I. Moorcroftiana from Ludak ; but Professor Don, after comparing the. 
latter with specimens sent by Pallas to Linneus, thinks it hardly merits the rank of a 
distinct species. J. longifolia was grown in the Mussooree Experimental Garden from 
seeds procured from Cashmere. 
The Jridea, conspicuous as ornamental plants, have also been long use 
though not possessed of very active properties. Iris florentina is still much employed 
on account of the agreeable odour of its root-stocks, chiefly in perfumery, and for 
3B 2 imparting 
d medicinally, 
