IRIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



IRIS. 



515 



signal, while the standards were nearly 

 pure white, marked with very thin violet 

 veins, hardly visible at a distance." 

 Lebanon. 



I. MARINE. Belongs to the iberica 

 group, and was discovered on the confines 

 of Egypt and Palestine. The rhizome is 

 compact, rather slender, the foliage being 

 not unlike that of iberica, but narrower. 

 The flowers, on a stem of about 6 inches 

 high, are somewhat smaller than /. iberica, 

 of a uniform lilac colour, though marked 

 with veins, but the uniformity is broken 

 by a conspicuous " signal " patch of deep 

 purple on the fall. 



I. MEDIA. Native of Persia, and has a 

 small, slender, and compact rhizome. 

 The leaves are narrower than /. iberica, 

 and for the most part erect, the stem being 

 about 6 inches in length, more or less, but 

 it seems to vary a good deal. The fall, 

 which spreads horizontally, is narrow and 

 pointed, the blade being sharply curved 

 back on itself. 



I. MISSOURIENSIS (Missouri Flag). A 

 Rocky Mountain kind, graceful, and with 

 delicate purplish-blue flowers, which are 

 valuable to cut in the month of May. It 

 grows well in a border of good soil. 



I. MONNIERI. A noble Flag, distinct 

 from any other in cultivation, the leaves 

 being dark green, and the flower-stem 

 nearly 4 feet high, whilst the outer divi- 

 sions of the flowers, which are very fra- 

 grant, are recurved, and of a rich golden- 

 yellow, margined with white. It is a 

 native of Crete, and succeeds best in rather 

 moist soil, whilst increased easily by 

 division or seed. 



I. NEGLECTA. One of the tallest grow- 

 ing species, having given rise to numerous 

 garden varieties. Its flowers rarely 

 measure more than 2^ inches across, the 

 standards being of a pale blue, with darker 

 shading, and the much reflexed falls are 

 of a deep blue, veined with purplish-red ; 

 the crest or beard is bright yellow, and 

 very striking. 



I. OCHROLEUCA (Yellow-banded Flag). 

 A stately vigorous Flag and an old plant 

 in our gardens, the foliage slender, about 

 4 feet long, and coming up in a graceful 

 twist. The spikes usually bear four or 

 five flowers, white or nearly so, with large 

 yellow blotch on the fall, and some reach 

 nearly 6 feet in height, strong clumps 

 producing four or five. Few Flags will 

 thrive better in the shrubbery border. 

 There is a variety called gigantea, which 

 has larger and finer flowers. 



I. ORCHIOIDES. Distinct in its rich, 

 dark yellow blossoms, with black spots on 

 the lower petals and a vigorous leafy 

 growth. It is a profuse flowering kind, 

 often bearing as many as six blossoms on 

 a single spike. It is a tuberous-rooted 

 species, hardy and free at least on warm 

 soils. 



I. PALLIDA (Great Purple Flag). One 

 of the stateliest and most beautiful of 

 Flags. When in full vigour, the spikes 

 will reach 4 feet in height, with a succession 



Iris ochroleuca. 



of from eight to twelve of its large pale 

 mauve or purple flowers, scented like the 

 elder. There are forms of it, such as the 

 Dalmatian and also Mandraliscse, which 

 have deep blue flowers. It is a fine border 

 plant, and charming in large groups. 



