I'RIS VER'SICOLOR. 



CHANGEABLE IRIS. 



Class. Order. 



TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 



Natural Order. 



IRIDEjE. 



No. 3. 



This plant has received its name from the Latin 

 term iris, which signifies a rainbow ; and the colours 

 of some of the species render it very appropriate. 

 It has been termed the various-coloured, or parti- 

 coloured ; changeable- coloured appears a more cor- 

 rect translation, and is equally characteristic of the 

 flower, for it may be observed daily to assume a 

 different hue. 



An eastern, or even northern, border is suitable 

 to this plant. It flourishes in any light garden soil, 

 and the roots may be divided in autumn. It may 

 also be raised from seeds, which should be sown in 

 September, and the plants will come up in the fol- 

 lowing spring ; but if the seeds are sown in the 

 spring, they will lie a year in the ground before they 

 vegetate. 



That correct observer of nature, Bradley, speak- 

 ing of one of the bulbous Irises, says, the finest va- 

 rieties that he ever saw, were raised from seed ; ' I 

 would,' he further observes, ' advise every one to 

 raise seedlings.' 



Orris root is the tuber of the Florentine Iris, 

 which will hereafter be noticed. 



Hort. Kew. 2, v. 1, 116. 



