272 IRIDE.^. 



from the type may be procured by means of seed. The seed 

 may be sown in pots in a cold frame or under a hand-light, or 

 they may be sown in the open ground in a warm border, if it 

 is only the commoner kinds that are being dealt with. The 

 rhizomatous kinds will flower a little the second summer 

 from seed, but the tuberous or bulbous kinds not till the third 

 summer. 



I. cristata {Crested I.) — This is a dwarf rhizomatous kind, 

 rarely exceeding 6 inches high. The flower-stems barely exceed 

 the length of the leaves, and each bears one or two flowers, the 

 divisions of which are nearly equal in size, and are blue, shaded 

 in deeper and lighter tints, and variegated ^^^th yellow. They 

 appear in ]\Iay, and last about a month. The plant succeeds 

 well only in sunny positions and warm light soils, and is one 

 of the very few species of Iris that are found in North America. 



I. fcetidissima {Gladiuin I.) — A vigorous species of the rhi- 

 zomatous section, growing i ^ or 2 feet high, with deep-green 

 leaves which smell disagreeably when bruised. The stems sup- 

 port numerous flowers of a livid-purple colour, but often in dif- 

 ferent plants variously coloured, from violet to dirty white. The 

 segments of the flowers are unequal in size, the outer one being 

 the largest. Flowers in June, lasting a few w^eks. One of the 

 best for naturalising in woods and shady places. There is a 

 good variegated-leaved form, having the leaves striped with 

 creamy white. Native of England, Italy, and France. 



I. germanica {Ge?'7?ia?i I.) — The most ordinary colour of this 

 species in nature and in gardens is blue, but it has sported into 

 innumerable shades and variations under cultivation ; and any 

 of the varieties are well worth growing in any collection. In a 

 general way the many forms of this species may be distinguished 

 from those of most others in cultivation by the many-flowered 

 stem, by the lower flowers being erect on short stout stalks, and 

 by the large, nearly-equal, and round segments of the flowers. 

 The varieties grow from i foot to 2 feet high, and are gener- 

 ally characterised by bold, stout, glaucous, or pale-green leaves. 

 Some have splendidly- coloured flowers; others are perhaps 

 more curious from the dinginess of their colour, but often, also, 

 highly interesting from the picturesque lacing and network that 

 is displayed in even the dingiest. Native of France, Germany, 

 and western Italy. It is one of the rhizomatous species ; and 

 the flowers appear about -May, June, and July, varying as to 

 the time of opening in different varieties. 



I. graminea {Grass -leaved I.) — This species grows about 9 

 inches or i foot high, ^^ith narrow, linear, bright-green leaves. 

 The flowxr-stems support usually two flowers. The segments 



