THE BULB W)()K 



IRIS 



almost lavender, yellowish-lilac, sea- 

 green, etc., but all have a conspicuous 

 patch of deep purple-violet or even 

 black in front of the orange or yellow 

 keel. In the variety Isaacson i the 

 fall is creamy-white in front, tinged 

 with green and broken by thick 

 violet veins which, running parallel 

 to the median, violet-dotted, yellow 

 streak on the claw, form a conspicu- 

 ous violet zone around the ridge on 

 the blade. There is no patch of deep 

 colour in front as in the other forms. 



I. pllcata.— A plant of unknown 

 origin 2 to 3 ft. high, with sword- 

 like leaves 12 to 18 ins. long, and 

 clusters of large fragrant flowers 

 produced in June and July ; falls 

 pure white in the centre, veined with 

 bright lilac at the edges, and having 

 a yellow - tipped beard ; standards 

 pure white edged -ndth lilac (Bot. 

 Ma<j. t. 810 ; Red. Lil. t. 356). 



I. Pseudacorus {Yellow Flag or 

 Water Flag). — A well-knoA\Ti British 

 Iris found near river banks, ditches, 

 etc., having a stout creeping root- 

 stock, and glaucous sword - shaped 

 leaves 2 to 4 ft. long. Flowers from 

 May to August, large, almost scent- 

 less, 3 to 4 ins. across, bright yellow 

 with a deeper spot at the base of the 

 falls, which are veined with bro\\^l or 

 purple. The variety acoroiJes from 

 X. America has small sulphur-yellow 

 flowers. There is a beautiful variety 

 in which the leaves are striped with 

 ivory-white, as in a form of I. feet id is- 

 sima, and another ^vith golden-yellow 

 stripes, but these are much clearer 

 and finer looking in spring than in 

 summer and autumn. 



I. pseudo-variegata. — This belongs 

 to the genminica section, and has 

 bright yellow flowers with brown- 

 yellow veined falls (G'ard. 1899, t. 418). 



I. pumUa.— A charming little Iris 

 4 to 5 ins. high, from S. Europe and 

 Asia Minor, with sword-shaped leaves. 



Flowers in April, bright lilac-purple 

 or deep violet colour, the reflexed 

 falls having a dense white beard at 

 the base, the standards being usually 

 paler in colour. (Bot. Mag. tt. 9, 

 1209, 1261 ; Bed. Lil. t. 261./ 



41^ 



310 



Fig 210.— 7n'5pumi7(L (J.) 



There are several forms, among 

 which may be mentioned a/6/</</ — the 

 Crimean Iris— greyish-white ; atro- 

 ceeru/ea, de^i) purple; attica, yeUow 

 veined with brownish-lilac ; coerulea, 

 bright blue with yellow beards; 

 coelestis, sky-blue ; gracilis, pure white 

 with bronze falls ; and lutescens, 

 bright yellow. 



I. Reichenbachiana is closely related 

 to /. littescens. It has bright pale 

 yellow flowers. 



I. reticulata {Netted Iris). — A 

 charming Caucasian Iris having ovoid 

 bulbs and four-sided, homy-pointed, 

 narrow leaves about 1 ft. long. 

 Flowers from January to March, 

 deep violet and sweetly scented, 



