MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS XIPHION. 109 



2-3 inches long ; limb pale yellow, the outer divisions oblong spathii- 

 late, 1^-2 inches long, 6-9 lines broad ; inner divisions linear, 6-8 lines 

 long, spreading between the edges of the outer ones. Stigmas with the 

 crest very nearly as long as the outer segments, half an inch broad at the 

 apex of the limb. 



Hab. Palestine ; rocks of the valley of Barghoutie, near Saida, Blanche, 

 Herb. Syr. n. 42 ! Gaillardot ! Hebron! Lowue ! Plain of Sharon, flower- 

 ing in January, Miss Osborne. 



Closely allied to the preceding, but much smaller in size, with a shorter 

 tube included in the spathe and a pale yellow limb. 



12. X persicum, Miller"; bulbo ovoideo membranaceo-tunicato, caule 

 nullo, foliis linearibus post anthesin maturatis demum subpedalibus, 

 spathse valvis haud ventricosis 2-3-uncialibus, ovario sessili, tubo ex- 

 serto, limbi segnientis exterioribus l|--2-uncialibus oblongo-oblanceolatis 

 albidis extus violaceo tinctis intus flavo carinatis, interioribus linearibus 

 triplo brevioribus patulis vel deflexis, stigmatibus cum cristis segmentis 

 exterioribus paulo brevioribus. — X. persicum, Miller, Gard. Diet. edit. 6. 

 Iris persica, Linn. Sp. Plant, edit. 2. p. 59; Bot. Mag. t. i. ; Redoute, 

 Lil. t. 189. Costia persica, Willk. Bot. Zeit. 1860, p. 132. CoresanfJie 

 persica, Alefeld, Bot. Zeit. 1863, p. 296 ; Klatt, Linnaea, vol. xxiv. p. 574. 



Bulb ovoid, an inch thick, with brown membranous coats, the rootlets 

 rather fleshy. Stem none, the leaves all radical, not developed until after 

 the plant has flowered, glaucous, linear, finally a foot long, 5-6 lines 

 broad in the lower part, deeply channelled in front and rounded on the 

 back, the edge minutely ciliated. Spathe 2-3 inches long, the valves 

 linear, 2-3 lines broad, not ventricose. Ovary from the base of the 

 spathe. Tube 2-4 inches long, generally exserted at the flowering time. 

 Outer segments of the limb 1|, or in cultivated specimens 2 inches deep, 

 6-8 lines broad, oblanceolate-oblong, nearly white, marked with a bright 

 violet blotch below the rcflexed tip and a bright yellow beardless keel 

 down the throat. Inner divisions 6-8 lines long, linear, spreading between 

 the edges of the outer ones, often toothed. Stigmas as broad and, in- 

 cluding the crest, nearly as long as the outer segments. 



Hab. Cappadocia, Montbret ! Aucher-Eloy, 2131 ! Port William, 

 banks of the Euphrates, Chesney, 3 ! 



A garden favourite of very old date, but now, we fear, lost from the 

 English collections. It is very fragrant, and flowers in England in 

 February or March. 



13. X (?aMcas/c«;w, Baker ; bulbo ovoideo membranaceo-tunicato, caule 

 1-4-unciali 1-3-floro, foliis caulinis 4-6 distichis confertis lineari-lanceo- 

 latis deorsum 6-8 lin. latis arcle falcatis margiiie serrulatis, spatlia? valvis 

 l|-2-uneialibus valde ventricosis ad basin limbi attingentibus, pedunculo 

 subnuUo, perianthii tul)0 1-1^-unciali, limbo lutescente, segmentis ex- 

 terioribus oblanccolatis sesquiuncialibus, interioribus linearibus 2-3-plo 

 brevioribus patulis vel deflexis, stigmatibus cum cristis segmentis ex- 

 terioribus paulo brevioribus. — Iri^ cnucasica, HofFm. Comm. Soe. Phys. 

 Med. Mosc. vol. i. p. 40 ; M. Bieb. Fl. Taur.-Cauc, vol. i. p. 33, vol. 'iii, 

 p. 45 ; Sweet, Fl. Gard. t. 255 ; Led. Fl. Iloss, vol. iv. p. 100, etaliorum. 

 TheJysia cancasica, Pari. Fl. Ital. vol. iii. p. 317. Costia caucasica, Willk. 

 Bot. Zeit. 1860, p. 132. Neabeckia cancasica, Alefeld, Bot. Zeit. 1863. 

 p. 297. Coresanthe cancasica, Klatt, Linneea, vol. xxiv. p. 575. 



Bulb ovoid, an inch thick, with light dark brown membranous coats, 



