I 5 4 THE BOOK OF THE IRIS 



broad golden patch on blade 

 of fall, standards notched at 



apex . . . '. \ . 112. I. FILIFOLIA 



Perianth-tube 1-2 in. long. 



Limb lilac, 3 in. long ; stand- 

 ards pointed, not notched 

 at apex . . . . 1 13. I. TINGITANA 

 Limb always yellow, ij to 



2 in. long . . . 114. I. JUNCEA 



Limb purple, with a slight 



beard on fall . . .115. I. BOISSIERI 

 no. I. Xiphium, Linn.; Sot. Mag., t. 656; Red. 

 Lit., t. 337 ; Foster in Bulbous Irises, p. 64; Xiphion 

 vulgare, Mill ; /. hispanica, Hort. (see accompanying plate), 

 " Spanish Iris." The bulb is ovoid, f to I in. diam., with 

 smooth, membranous brown coats. Leaves several 

 superposed, subterete and glaucous, the lower a foot 

 long, sometimes appearing late in autumn. The stem is 

 one-headed, bearing two flowers, I to 2 ft. long, partly 

 covered by clasping leaves. The spathe-valves are 

 narrow, 2 to 4 in. long, not inflated, the outer green and 

 lanceolate ; pedicel long and raising the flower above the 

 spathe-valves. The perianth-tube is obsolete ; limb 4 in. 

 across, violet-purple in the typical form ; falls fiddle- 

 shaped, with an orbicular blade which is separated from 

 the long claw by a marked constriction ; standards as 

 long, oblong, erect, \ to f in. broad \ style branches 

 above an inch long ; crests large, quadrate ; capsule 

 long, narrow ; seeds numerous, small, cubical or angular. 

 The month of flowering is June. Native of the south 

 of France, Spain, Portugal, North Africa and Sardinia. 



Var. lusitanica, Ker in Bat. Mag., t. 679. The 

 flowers of this variety are pure yellow with an orange 

 "signal" on the fall. The ovary is less exserted than 

 in the type, and the spathe-valves have some tendency 

 to be inflated. The perianth is more or less distinctly 



