IRTS. 15 



Aiistr. t. 4 ; Reich. Fl. Germ. fig. 772, I. spathulata Lam. 1. Beichen- 

 hachiana Klatt. Xyndinn spttrium and Beichmharhiannm Klatt. — 

 Rhizome stout, short-creeping, obhque; sheaths sphtting into fibres. 

 Leaves firm, Hnear, glaucescent, a foot long, ^in. broad in the typical 

 form. Stems overtopping the leaves, bearing 1-3 spicate heads 

 and 3-4 reduced leaves. Spathes 2-3-flowered, 2-3 in, long; 

 valves moderately firm, green, lanceolate; pedicels shorter than 

 the spathe. Perianth-tube :^-f in. long ; limb bright lilac, 1^-2 in. 

 long ; falls with an orbicular blade ^ in. broad, which is half as 

 long as the haft, which is keeled with yellow and veined with lilac 

 on a pale ground ; standards rather shorter, oblanceolate-unguicu- 

 late, -|-^ in. broad. Style-branches an inch long; crests small, 

 deltoid. Capsule oblong-hexagonal, an inch long, conspicuously 

 rostrate. 



Var. I. suBBARBATA Joo in Verb. Sieb. Ver. 1858, 98. — Falls 

 faintly bearded down the haft. Spathe-valves puberulous at the 

 apex. Transylvania. 



Var. I. DAENENsis Kotschy. — More robust. Flowers grey-lilac ; 

 falls whitish with lilac-blue veins, bright yellow at the base of the 

 blade, the haft veined and spotted with red. Anthers reddish- 

 yellow. South Persia. 



Var. I. DESERTORUM Kcr in Bot. Mag. t. 1514. — Segments pale 

 lilac ; haft of falls bright yellow ; standards bordered with yellow. 



Var. I, NOTHA M. Bieb. Cent. Ross. t. 77. /. halophila Ker in 

 Bot. Mag. t. 875, non Pallas. I. spuria Red. Lil. t. 349. Xyridinn 

 nothum Klatt. — More robust than the type, with leaves an inch 

 broad, flowering stems 2-3 ft. long and larger flowers and spathe- 

 valves. Caucasus to Kashmir. 



Hab. Central and Southern Europe from Spain and France to Persia and 

 Algeria. I. sordida Retz, judging from the description, may be a form of this 

 species. 



44. I. AUREA Lindl. in Bot. Reg. xxxiii. t. 59. I. crocea Jacquem. 

 Xyridion aureum Klatt. — Rhizome stout, oblique. Leaves ensiform, 

 moderately firm, hardly at all glaucous, 1^-2 ft. long, |-1 in. 

 broad. Stem 3-3|- ft. long, stout, terete, bearing several reduced 

 leaves and about two sessile clusters beneath the end one. Spathes 

 2-3-flowered, 3-4 in. long; valves green, lanceolate; pedicels 

 long. Perianth-tube as long as the ovary ; limb bright yellow, 

 2^-3i- in. long ; falls with an oblong blade an inch broad, as long 

 as the claw ; standards shorter, oblanceolate, under h in. broad. 

 Style-branches Ix-li i^^- loi^g ! crests deltoid. Capsule oblong, 

 hexagonal, 1^ in. long, conspicuously rostrate. 



Hab. Western Himalayas. Introduced into cultivation by Dr. Eoyle. 

 Flowers in England early in July. 



45. I. MoNNiERi DC. in Red. Lil. t. 236. Xi/rldion Monnieri 

 Klatt. — Rhizome stout, short-creeping. Leaves ensiform, mode- 

 rately firm, slightly glaucous, 2-3 ft. long, l-lj in. broad. Stem 

 stout, terete, 3-4 ft. long, with several reduced leaves and sessile 

 clusters of flowers. Spathes 2-3-flowered, 4-5 in. long ; outer 

 valves firm, green, lanceolate, an inch broad ; pedicels long. 



