128 THE BOOK OF THE IRIS 



its features are due to its physiological adaptation to this 

 special habitat. The rhizomes are much branched and 

 wide creeping, the tufts distant, as in many other sand 

 plants. The leaves are linear, 3 to 4 in. long at flower- 

 ing time, ^ to J in. broad. The stems are very short, 

 one-headed ; spathes one or two flowered, valves oblong or 

 lanceolate green, ventricose, f to l\ in. long; pedicel as 

 long as the ovary. The perianth-tube is J in. long ; 

 limb bright yellow, I to l^ in. long; falls oblong- 

 cuneate, ^ to in. long ; beard bright yellow ; standards 

 rather shorter and narrower than the falls ; style- 

 branches \ in. long ; crests lanceolate. A native of 

 Hungary, Transylvania, and the south of Prussia. 



75. I. flavissima, Pallas, Iter., iii. 715; Jacq. Ic., t. 

 220. Though small, this is a bright and pretty Iris. 

 The rhizome is moderately stout but short creeping, 

 the sheaths splitting into fibres. The leaves are 4 to 8 

 in. long, \ to \ in. broad ; the stem, one-headed, I to 6 

 in. long ; spathes, one or two flowered, I to l| in. long ; 

 valves oblong or lanceolate, ventricose, green with a 

 scariose margin ; pedicel as long as the ovary. The 

 flowers are of rich lemon yellow, ij in. across; the 

 perianth-tube is J in. long ; falls oblong-cuneate, \ to f 

 in* broad, reflexing from half-v/ay down; beard bright 

 yellow ; standards rather shorter, oblong, \ in. broad ; 

 style branches \ to f in. long ; crests deltoid. The 

 flowers have the perfume of Vanilla. Is native of 

 Siberia and Mongolia, ascending to 6000 feet in the 

 mountains of Turkestan. 



Var. Bloudovii, Led., FL Alt. iii. ; Ic. y t. loi. This 

 plant is more robust, with broader leaves, a longer stem 

 and larger flowers. 



/. mandschurica is allied to the above ; see p. 195. : -. 



76. I. rubromarginata, Baker in Gard. Chron., 1875, 

 i. 524. I have been charmed with this plant because 

 of the distinctly red-margined leaves, but unfortunately 



