RHIZOMA IRIDIS. 



061 



of Florence and Lucca^ but in our opinion only as a natui'alizoJ 

 plant^ 



These three species, but especially /. geriRanica and /. 2^(^ttida, are 

 cultivated for the production of orris root in the neighbourhood of 

 Florence, They are planted on the edges of terraces and on waste, 

 stony places contiguous to cultivated ground. /. jiorentina is seldom 

 found beyond the precincts of villas, and is far less common than the 

 other two. 



History—In ancient Greece and Rome, orris root was largely used 

 in perfumery; and Macedonia, Elis, and Corinth were famous for their 

 unguents of iris.^ Theophrastus and Dioscorides were well acquainted 

 with orris root ; the latter, as well as Pliny, remarks that the best comes 

 from Illyricum, the next from Macedonia, and a sort still inferior from 



Libya; and that the root is used as a perfume and medicine. 



Visiani^ 



'mamca 



1 



is highly probable, seeing that throughout Dalmatia (the ancient Illyn- 

 cum) that species is plentiful, and /. Jiorentina and I. pallicla do not 

 occur. At what period the two latter were introduced into Northern 

 Italy we have no direct evidence, but it was probably in the early 

 middle ages. The ancient arms of Florence, a white lily or iris on a red 

 shield,* seem to indicate that that city was famed for the growth of 

 these plants. Petrus de Crescentiis' of Bologna, who flourished m the 

 13th century, mentions the cultivation of the wJdte as well as of the 



medicinal 



the 



But the true Illyrian drug was held to be the best; and Valerius 

 Cordus« laments that it was being displaced by the Florentme, though 

 it might easily be obtained through the Venetians. ^ r 



Orris root mixed with anise was used in England as a perfume lor 



Wa 



1) 



. AH the species of iris we have named were in cultivation in England 

 in tlie time of Gerarde,-that is, the latter end of the 16th century. 

 The starch of the rhizome was formerly reckoned medicmal, and d rec- 



(1G60) 



c 



^ Production-The above-mentioned species of iris are k^o^^^^ ^he 

 Tuscan peasantry by the one name of Giaggwh. /he rh zome ai e 

 elected indiscriLnltely, the chief quantity being d^^^^^^^^^ 



V the two 



manica 



-J -xu uwu more pienuiui species, -t. yvi i'^^^ — ^ . , 



are dug up in August, are then peeled, trimmed, and laid out m the 



From observations made at Florence in 



Jhe spring of 1872, I am led to regard the 



TW iP'^^-^ ^'^^*^ named as quite -distinct. 

 1 ne following comparative characters are 

 l^crhaps worth recording :— 

 ^ I. germaiuca — flower-stem scarcely li 

 imesas tall as leaves ; flowers more crowded 

 f Jian m I. pallida, varying in depth of colour 

 •^ut never pale blue. 



• pallida — bracts brown and scariose ; 

 "ower-stem twice as high as leaves. 

 ■'• JloretUina — bracts green and fleshy ; 



flower-stem short as in /. germmica; ,s a 



moTe tender plant than the other two, and 



blossoms a little later.— D.H. 



^For further infomation consult Blum- 



^r. T)h: a -prblkhe Thutlglat der T ulhtr 



^ Flora Dalmatica, i. (1S>^-) ' '*^- . 

 4 Dante, Dlvma comviedia, cant, xvi- 

 . 6 j)e omnibus (li/ykuUiine paribus, BasiL 



e Dispematorium, Norimb. 1529. 288. 



