172 THE BOOK OF THE IRIS 



stem about a foot high, are lanceolate-acuminate falcate, 

 4 to 6 in. long at flowering time, firm in texture with a 

 distinct white margin. The spathes are I J to 2 in. long, 

 valves pale green, lanceolate. The flowers are about 

 2 in. across ; perianth-tube hardly exserted above the 

 spathe; falls pale yellow, ij to 2 in. long, with an 

 orbicular blade \ in. broad, a third as long as the not- 

 auricled haft, and bearing a median plate ; standards 

 bright red-purple, an inch long with an obovate blade, 

 sometimes \ in. broad ; style branches' an inch long, 

 crests large, subquadrate. Flowers in March. A native 

 of Afghanistan near Gulran. 



121. I. orchioides, Carriere in Rev. Hort., 1880, 337, 

 fig. 68; Baker in Bot. Mag., 1890, t. 7111 ; Foster in 

 Bulbous Irises , pp. 36, 78, figs. 22, 53 (see accompany- 

 ing plate). This I find a most satisfactory Juno, grow- 

 ing, increasing, and flowering well, both on bed and 

 border. Its yellow flowers too are very ornamental. 

 The bulb is ovoid, I to i^ in. in diam., coats brown and 

 membranous. The leaves are about six, lanceolate- 

 acuminate, 6 to 9 in. long at flowering time, the border 

 not horny or much less so than in /. caucasica. The 

 stem is three to six headed, I to 2 ft. high, with distinct 

 internodes ; spathes clasping the tube, 2 in. long, one- 

 flowered, the valves green lanceolate. The flowers are 

 2 to 3 in. across, of rich yellow, usually free from 

 greenish tinge, but with bright orange ridge on the 

 blade of falls, which has also a few variable spots, 

 blotches, or lines of dull violet. They are stalked ; the 

 tube is ij to 2 in. long; falls with an obovate blade, 

 the claws without the wings so marked in /. caucasica; 

 standards oblanceolate, under an inch long, deflexed ; 

 style branches an inch long, crests deltoid. Flowers 

 in March or April. 



Var. caerulea, Regel, Descr. PI. Nov., ix. p. 37 ; 

 colour, pale blue or lavender, but with the ridge of falls, 



