IRIDE.^. 273 



of the flowers are narrow, egg-shaped, and variegated dull white, 

 violet, or purple and yellow. They open in June. Native of 

 many countries of southern Europe in pastures. 



I. lutescens {Fale-yellow I.) — A dwarf species of the rhizo- 

 matous section, and very pretty and distinct. It grows about 

 6 inches high, with narrow short leaves. The stems bear usu- 

 ally only one flower each, which are pale yellow, netted with 

 violet. They appear in April and May. It succeeds best in 

 sunny warm positions. Native of southern France, Switzerland, 

 and Carniola. 



I. pallida {Palc-hlue I.) — A fine vigorous species, nearly 

 allied to the German I., but readily distinguished from it by 

 the flowers being all stalkless, and by the tube of the flower 

 being shorter. The flowers are soft blue, netted with green ; 

 they appear about the same time as those of /. germanica, but 

 the plant is scarcely so tall. Native of Istria, Pavia, and Pisa. 



I. pumila (Diua?-/ Crimean I.) — This is a dwarf rhizomatous 

 species allied to the Pale-yellow I. It grows from 4 to 8 inches 

 high, the stems bearing usually only one flower each. The 

 flowers are large comparatively, and ordinarily deep blue ; but 

 there are a few varieties distinguished by other colours, as 

 various shades of blue, yellow, white, and variegations of these ; 

 the petals or divisions of the flowers are rather unequal, the 

 inner ones being the largest. Flowers in April and May. 

 Native of Austria, France, and other countries of southern and 

 central Europe ; usually on dry stony hills. 



I. reticulata {Netted I.) — This is a bulbous-rooted species of 

 gi^eat beauty and distinctness, and one of the earliest to appear 

 in flower. The flower-stems grow about 6 inches high, each 

 supporting one flower, the segments of which are narrow, and 

 are beautiful brilliant purple or violet, the outer ones being 

 stained with rich orange. The leaves are four-angled, and 

 exceed the length of the stems considerably when fully de- 

 veloped. The plant is not hardy in all localities, and is very 

 impatient of cold wet soil. Like all the bulbous Irises it is very 

 fond of peat, but succeeds well in rich, light, sandy loam, and 

 should have a warm aspect in a sheltered warm situation. It 

 is wefl worthy of pot-culture wherever it cannot be grown out 

 of doors, succeeding well in a cold frame, and becoming a most 

 beautiful object for the greenhouse or conservatory in February 

 and March, but it will not endure much forcing. Native of 

 the south of Europe and Asia Minor. 



I. ruthenica {Small gi-ass-leaved I.) — This is an attractive but 

 diminutive fibrous-rooted species, with linear grass-like leaves 

 somewhat exceeding in length the short flower-stems. The 



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