40 



CHRONICLE OF EASTERN AMERICAN IRIS 



The present wide-spread interest in iris and the long neglect of 

 our native irises as botanical, not to mention horticultural, sub- 

 jects make a chronicle of our eastern species timely. 



The technical botanical history of Iris in North America begins 

 with the publication of Linnaeus' Species Plantarum in 1753. 

 However, about two centuries, dating from the early records and 

 specimens on which Linnaeus based his North American species, 

 comprise the total historic chronology involved. The following 

 American Iris chronicle will be of particular interest, especially 

 in view of the impetus recent exploration in the Gulf States has 

 given to the study of the native plants of the genus Iris. The 

 sequence of events which makes up the Iris chronicle is exceed- 

 inglv unevenly distributed through the two hundred years in- 

 volved. 



The authors and their botanical works in which American 

 irises figure, published prior to the appearance of the Species 

 Plantarum, are, arranged here in chronological sequence, recorded 

 by Linnaeus as follows : 



Leonard Plukenet (1641-1706), Almagestrum, 1696. 



John James Dillenius (1687-1747), Hortus Elthamensis. 



' 7,V- 



Jan Fredrik Gronovius (1690-1762), Clayton's Mora Vir- 

 ginia, 1739. 



Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708-1770), Plantae et Papiliones 

 Rariores, 1 74&-'59-'62. 



Late in the seventeenth century, American irises found their 

 way to Europe, either as living plants or as herbarium specimens. 

 A number of species from the Atlantic seaboard were recorded in 

 the Old World literature of that period. Linnaeus (1 707-1 77S) 

 assembled this matter and with the aid of specimens in some cases 

 published in his Species Plantarum, Iris versicolor* I. virgitoica* 

 and /. verna. 3 Iris virginica L. is not be confused with the usual 

 Iris virginica of the horticultural trade. 



1 Iris versicolor L. Sp. PI. ,v>. 1753: various provinces, eastern North 

 America. 



2 Iris virginica L. Sp. PI. 39. 1753; various provinces, southeastern 

 United Stales. 



8 Iris verna L. Sp. PI. 39. 1 753 : various provinces, southeastern United 

 Stales. 



