XIPHION 163 



nearly a foot long at flowering time ; they are furnished 

 with a horny point, and are cylindrical, with eight ribs. 

 The peduncle is veiy short and bears one flower; spathe 

 3 in. long; valves green, very unequal. The perianth- 

 tube is 3 in. long, slightly exserted above the spathe ; 

 perianth 2 to in. across ; falls with a long claw and 

 short, ovate, reflexing blade, the marginal regions of latter 

 deep violet, the central portions creamy white or yellowish, 

 with numerous deep violet spots or blotches. The claw 

 has violet veins on the sides, but is more or less yellow 

 along the centre, with violet spots. The standards are 

 rather shorter than the falls, erect, oblanceolate, bluish 

 lilac in colour. The style branches are an inch long, 

 the crests large, subquadrate, lilac. The ripe capsule is 

 pointed, thrown above the ground by its stem. Is native 

 of Armenia, near Mardin. 



Cultivation is easy ; the rockery, or border, prepared 

 for bulbous Irises, suits it well. It may be grown in 

 pots, and in a cold frame will flower in January. A form 

 called " Norma " has been distributed by Herr Max 

 Leichtlin. It is described as larger, deeper, and brighter 

 in colour than the type. 



117. I. Kolpakowskiana, Regel, Descr. v. 47; 

 Gartenflora, t. 939 ; Garden, 1888, t. 658, fig. 4 ; Xiph'wn 

 Kolpakoiuskianum, Baker in Bot. Mag., t. 6489. The bulb 

 is ovoid or globose, \ in. diam., with netted coats. The 

 leaves are linear, with each edge thickened into a ridge, 

 thus forming a channel. They are 2 to 3 in. long when 

 the flowers appear. The stems are one-headed, not 

 produced ; spathes, one-flowered, 2 in. long ; valves 

 green, lanceolate. The perianth-tube is 2 in. long ; falls 

 with an ovate or oblong blade |- in. broad, bearing a low 

 orange median ridge continuing as a mere streak down 

 the claw, which is separated from the shorter blade by a 

 slight construction ; standards as long as the falls, 

 oblanceolate, with a short claw ; style-branches an inch 



