IK1S 



THE BULB BOOK 



IRIS 



Iris, about 1 ft. high, native of 

 Afghanistan, with slender elongated 

 bulbs, having fleshy roots and linear 

 leaves, not unlike those of the Spanish 

 Iris (1. Xiphium), but much striped 

 on the outside. Flowers in March, 

 about 2 ins. across, with yellow falls 

 and styles, but reddish-purple stand- 

 ards. (Bot. Mag. t. 7215.) 



This species is very difficult to 

 grow; according to the late Sir M. 

 Foster a moderately stiff soil suits it 

 best. It should be kept as dry as 

 possible in winter, and hot in summer. 

 It should be sheltered from winds and 

 kept free from the roots of trees and 

 shrubs. 



I. fulva. A United States beard- 

 less Flag, 2 to 3 ft. high, with bright 

 green, narrow, sword-shaped leaves. 



FIG. 199. Iris fulva. 



Flowers in June, bright coppery 

 brown, 2 to 3 ins. deep, the oblong 

 clawed falls having a reddish-brown 

 down on the keel. (Bot. Mag. t. 

 1496.) Also known as /. cuprea. 

 I. fumosa (Xiphion Aucheri). A 



Syrian species related to /. sind- 

 jarensis, from which it differs in 

 having shorter and broader leaves, 

 and in the stem bearing eight to ten 

 greenish-yellow smoky tinted flowers 

 in April. 



I. galatica. A native of Asia 

 Minor related to /. persica. The 

 colour of the flowers varies from 

 greenish-yellow to silver-grey suffused 

 with purple, and with deeper purple 

 falls. (Gard. 1905, Ixvii. 203.) 



I. Gatesi. A large and handsome 

 Cushion Iris from Armenia, resembling 

 /. Susiana, but having a more com- 

 pact rhizome, and shorter, narrower, 

 and deeper green leaves. The blooms 

 appear in June, and are of a soft 

 delicate grey the result of very thin 

 clear veins and minute purple dots on 

 a creamy-white ground. The hairs 

 on the claw beneath the grey or 

 brownish style flecked with dark 

 purple are crowded into a diffuse 

 beard. The ripe capsule is often 5 

 ins. long. The plants should be 

 sheltered as much as possible from 

 wind. (Gard. Chron. 1890, ii. 18, f. ; 

 Garden, 1893, t. 897.) 



I. germanica (Common or Ger- 

 man Flag). This well-known Iris 

 from Central and S. Europe has 

 a thick, fleshy, creeping root-stock, 

 tufts of glaucous sword-like leaves, 

 and flower -stems 2 to 3 ft. high, 

 bearing many large fragrant and 

 elegant purple and lilac blossoms in 

 May and June; the falls have a 

 conspicuous yellow beard on a whitish 

 ground veined with brown. (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 670.) 



There are many forms, all beautiful 

 and easily grown, the best being alba, 

 white; atropurpurea, deep reddish- 

 purple ; grisea, white veined and 

 netted with lilac ; major, large, blue 

 and purple ; Agnes, pale lavender and 

 blue ; Arlequin, brown and black ; 

 Argiis, violet; Calypso, white streaked 



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