IRIS 



THE BULB BOOK 



IRIS 



stocks of this species are imported 

 direct from Japan. 



I. Leichtlini (/. vacja). A pretty 

 species from Turkestan, with creep- 

 ing root-stocks and erect, slender, 

 sharp - pointed, sword - like leaves. 

 Flowers yellowish, purple and brown- 

 ish - red, with broadly lance-shaped 

 standards, and obovate spoon-shaped 

 falls, having a bluish-white beard. 

 (Garten/I, t. 1244, f. 7.) 



I. longipetala. A Californian Iris, 

 2 to 3 ft. high, with narrow sword -like 

 leaves 12 to 18 ins. long. Flowers 

 in June and July, 2 to 3 ins. deep, 

 bright lilac, with obovate falls, having 

 a bright yellow keel and violet veins 

 on a white ground. (Bot. Mag. t. 

 5298.) The variety montana (figured 

 in Bot. Mag. t. 6579 as /. missouri- 

 ensis) is much dwarf er, with narrower 

 leaves and smaller flowers. 



FIG. 206. Iris LorMi. (.) 



I. Lorteti. A very attractive 

 Cushion Iris, native of S. Lebanon, 



resembling /. Sari, I. Gatesi, and 

 /. Smiana, with sword-shaped leaves 

 and very large flowers, very variable 

 in colour. The standards are pale 

 pink or delicate rose veined with 

 purple, the falls being pale blue or 

 lavender covered with crimson spots, 

 and a deep crimson or blackish- 

 purple blotch at the base. Other 

 forms have creamy - yellow falls 

 heavily spotted with purple, and 

 almost pure white or pale violet 

 standards distinctly but very thinly 

 veined with violet. (Bot. Mag. t. 

 7291.) The variety alia has pure 

 white flowers. 



I. lupina (Wolfs Ear Iris). A. 

 distinct and handsome Cushion Iris, 

 native of Armenia and Central Asia 

 Minor, and intermediate between /. 

 iberica and /. Susiana. It has com- 

 pact rhizomes and sickle-like leaves 

 about 9 ins. long. Flowers in May 

 and June, borne singly on stems 2 

 to 6 ins. high, with brownish-red 

 veins on a creamy-yellow or greenish- 

 yellow ground, the red of the veins 

 often merging into deep dark purple, 

 the broad lance-shaped falls having 

 a triangular blotch of very dark, 

 almost blackish purple in front of 

 a diffuse yellow beard at the base. 

 (Garden, 1893, t. 897.) The variety 

 robusta has silver grey standards 

 veined with brown. 



I. lurida. An old garden plant, 

 native of S. Europe, closely related 

 to /. variegata. It has, however, 

 narrower leaves and flowers earlier 

 in the year (April), the upper half 

 of the falls and standards being of 

 a dead purple colour with bright 

 yellow beards. (Bot. Mag. t. 986.) 



I. lutescens. A South European 

 Iris with slightly glaucous sword- 

 like leaves, and large handsome 

 flowers in May, with pale yellow falls 

 tinged and veined with purple-brown, 

 and having a bright yellow beard; 



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