80 HANDBOOK OF I RIDE*. 



broad, with a densely-bearded haft; standards shorter and narrower. 

 Style-branches an inch long ; crests deltoid, crenate. Capsule 

 elliptico-hexagonal. 



Hab. Mountains of Turkestan, alt. 2500—7000 ft., Dr. A. Regel. 



96. I. LoNGiscAPA Ledeb. Fl. Ross. iv. 93. I. JilifoHa Bunge. — 

 Rhizome short; tufts crowded ; inner sheaths membranous, outer 

 splitting into fibres. Leaves slender, subterete, moderately firm, 

 ■^ ft. long, sometimes falcate. Stem slender, 1-headed, 3-6 in. 

 long. Spathe 1-2-flowered ; valves lanceolate, scariose towards 

 the tip at the flowering time ; pedicels very short. Perianth-tube 

 an inch long ; hmb pale lilac-blue, as long as the tube ; falls with a 

 bearded oblong blade ^ in. broad, much shorter than the haft ; 

 standards oblauceolate-unguiculate ; claw faintly bearded. Style- 

 branches J in. long ; crests lanceolate-deltoid. 



Hab. Central Asia ; from the shores of the Caspian to Turkestan, where 

 it ascends the mountains to 10,000 ft. 



97. I. FALciFOLiA Bunge, Rel. Lehm. 329. — Rhizome short- 

 creeping ; tufts crowded ; inner sheaths membranous ; outer 

 splitting into fine fibres. Leaves narrow linear, moderately firm, 

 falcate, 6-9 in. long, -^^ in. broad. Stem 1-headed, 6-9 in. long. 

 Spathes 1-3-fiowered, 1-1^ in. long ; valves lanceolate, scariose 

 towards the edge and tip at the flowering time ; pedicels none or 

 very short. Perianth-tube 1-1 i in. long, narrowly funnel-shaped 

 in the upper third ; limb 1-1|^ in. long, pale lilac-blue ; falls with 

 an oblong blade ^ in. broad, much shorter than the bearded haft ; 

 standards oblanceolate-unguiculate, with a faintly bearded claw. 

 Style-branches %-\ in. long ; crests large, lanceolate-deltoid. 

 Capsule oblong, acutely angled, 1-1^ in. long. 



Hab. Central Asia, Beluchistan and Afghanistan. Gathered lately abun- 

 dantly by Dr. Aitchison. Nearly allied to I. nepalensis and goniocarpa, 

 although the three species, in the classification here followed, fall in three 

 different groups. 



98. I. RUBROMARGiNATA Baker in Gard. Chron. 1875, i. 524. — 

 Rhizome stout, short-creeping ; tufts crowded. Leaves ensiform, 

 green with a red margin, falcate, 2-4 in. long at the flowering 

 time, ^— ^ in. broad. Peduncle very short, 1-headed. Spathes 

 1-2-flowered, 2-3 in. long ; valves lanceolate, green, membranous, 

 acutely keeled, tinged with red on the keel and margin ; pedicel 

 very short. Perianth-tube very slender, greenish, 1|— 2 in. long ; 

 limb yellow or lilac, 2-2^ in. long ; falls obovate-cuneate, J in. 

 broad, reflexing from halfway down, densely bearded ; standards as 

 long, obovate-unguiculate, an inch broad. Style-branches an inch 

 long ; crests small, deltoid. 



Hab. Scutari, Barbey ! Troy, Sintenis 388 ! Mountains of Central Asia 

 Minor, Mrs. Danford ! Described from living plants sent by Leichtlin in April, 

 1875. Near I. pumila, but fragrant. 



99. I. MELLiTA Janka, Adat. Erd. 272. — Rhizome stout, oblique. 

 Leaves ensiform, falcate, about as long as the stem. Stem 3-4 in. 

 long, 1-headed. Spathe 2-flowered, 3 in. long ; valves green, lan- 

 ceolate, acutely keeled ; pedicel short. Perianth-tube as long as 



