108 



MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS XIPHION. 

 By J. G. Bakee, F.L.S. 



[Concluded from 2). 43.) 



10. X. alalum, Bnker; bulbo ovoideo magtio raerabranaceo-tunicato, 

 caule iiullo, f'oliis 4-6 lorato-lanceolatis infiniis demura pedalibus, aciitis 

 falcatis niargine ciliatis, spathse valvis lanceolatis veiitricosis 3-4-unciali- 

 bus, ovario sessili, tubo 3-6-unciali saepe exserto, liiribi cseruleo-violacei 

 segnieutis exterioribus obloiigo-spathulatis 2^-3-uiicialibus, interioribus 

 triple brevioribus linearibus patulis vel deflexis, stigmatibus cum cristis 

 segmeiitis exterioribus subaequilongis. — Iris alata, Poiret, Voy. Barb, 

 vol. ii. p. 86 (1786); Lam. Encyc. vol. iii. p. 302; Bot. Reg.'t. 1876, 

 et aliorum. Thelysia alata, Pari. PI. Ital. vol. iii. p. 317. Coresanthe 

 alata, Klatt, Liunsea, vol. xxiv. p. 575 (ex parte). Iris scorpioides, Desf. 

 Atl. vol. i. p. 40. t. 6 (1800); Eed. Lil. t. 211, et aliorum. Juno 

 scorpioides, Tratt. Answ. vol. i. p. 135. Costia scorpioides, Willk. Bot. 

 Zeit. 1860, p. 131; Willk. et Lange, Prodr. Hisp. vol. i. p. 144. Iris 

 transtagnana, Brot. PL Lus. vol. i. p. 52. 1. trialata, Brot. Pbyt. vol. ii. 

 p. 44. t. 95. /. microptera, Vahl, Emim. vol. ii. p. 142. Thelysia 

 grandiflora, Salisb. Hort. Trans, vol. i. p. 303. 



Bulb ovoid, 1^-2 inches tbick, coated with dark membranous tunics, 

 the rootlets thickened. Stem none. Leaves 3-4 on each side, distichous, 

 clasping and concealing the lower part of the spathe and tube, lorate- 

 lanceolate, falcate, 12-18 lines broad dowmvards, narrowed gradually 

 from the middle to an acute point, bright green, the edge minutely ciliated. 

 Flowers solitary or rarely two from a bulb. Valves of the spathe lanceo- 

 late, 3-4 inches long, very ventricose; ovary sessile at the top of the bulb 

 as in Crocus. Tube slender, 3-6 inches long, usually exserted at the 

 flowering time. Limb bright blue-purple ; the outer divisions 2^-3 

 inches long, oblong-spathulate, with a bright yellow keel inside, an inch 

 or more broad, beardless ; inner divisions under an inch long, linear, 

 spreading between the edges of the outer one. Stigmas with crest nearly 

 as long as the outer segments, 6-8 lines broad at the apex of the lamina. 



Hab. Portugal, Brotero. Spain, Webb ! Willkomm ! etc. Sardinia, 

 Miiller! Bonjean ! E. Thomas! Sicily, Ball! Algeria, Balansa, 39 I 

 Schimper! Bove! etc. 



A very showy species, flowering in its native countries from December 

 to February. 



11. X. palcBstinum, Baker; bulbo ovoideo membranaceo-tunicato, 

 caule nidlo, foliis 4-6 lorato-lanceolatis arete falcatis margine ciliatis in- 

 fimis semipedalibus, spathse valvis membranaceis 3-4-uncialibus, ovario 

 sessili, tubo incluso, limbi lutescentis segmentis exterioribus oblongo- 

 spathulatis 1^-2-uncialibus, interioribus linearibus triplo brevioribus 

 patulis vel deflexis, stigmatibus cum cristis segmentis exterioribus subse- 

 quilongis. 



Bulb ovoid, 12-18 lines thick, with thickened rootlets and loose dark 

 brown membranous tunics. Leaves about half-a-dozen, lorate-lanceolate, 

 sharply falcate, 9-12 lines broad at the base, 4-6 inches long, glaucescent, 

 narrowed gradually from the middle to an acute point, the edge minutely 

 denticulate. Spathe 3-4 inches long, with membranous linear valves reach- 

 ing up to the base of the limb at the flowering time. Ovary sessile ; tube 



