8o THE BOOK OF THE IRIS 



with two to three heads, and bearing two to three large 

 leaves. The spathes are two to three flowered, outer 

 valves lanceolate, green, l| to 2 in. long; pedicels much 

 shorter than the spathe. The perianth-tube is very short, 

 limb ij to 2 in. long, claret-purple; falls obovate- 

 cuneate, f to I in. broad ; claw veined with purple on 

 yellowish white ground ; standards much shorter, ob- 

 lanceolate, J in. broad ; crests small and subquadrate, 

 white (as figured). The style arms are represented as 

 distinctly raised above the falls. 



Var. virginica (/. virginica, Linn. ; Bot. Mag., t. 703 ; 

 Jacq. Ic., t. 233). Compared with type, this variety has 

 a longer limb and is of lighter colour blue-purple 

 instead of red-purple. The falls have a larger sub- 

 orbicular blade, much veined at the throat with violet 

 on pale ground. The style branches are longer, and in 

 figure are represented as recurved on the falls. Messrs 

 Barr & Sons have a form called "China Blue" " a 

 rather fine new Iris." 



This species is common in British North America and 

 in the Northern United States, extending to Hudson's 

 Bay. It grows in marshes, thickets and wet meadows. 

 Moisture is thus indicated, but I have had both type and 

 variety growing well on a border. The rhizomes and 

 rootlets of /. versicolor yield an oleo-resin, Irisin. An 

 extract is used in dropsy and diseases of the liver. 



28. I. albopurpurea, Hook. fil. in Bot. Mag., t. 751 1 ; 

 Garden, 1899, Dec. 23, plate 1254. The nearest ally of 

 this fine Iris is /. hexagona, from which it differs at a 

 glance in having a spotted flower. The rhizome is 

 shortly creeping ; leaves green, 2 ft. long and nearly 

 I in. broad when fully developed, not firm in texture. 

 Stem moderately stout, one-headed, not overtopping the 

 leaves. Flowers usually three, opening in succession ; 

 outer spathe-valves green at flowering time, 2 in. long ; 

 pedicels f in. long ; ovary trigonous ; perianth-tube \ in. 



