24 



I. xiphium or I. filifolia. The segments are much larger than 

 in either of these, and the blade of the fall is more oval, more 

 lax, and with a tendency to be wavy at the edge ; in fact, the 

 flower shows a certain analogy with /. xiphioides. Indeed, 

 I. filifolia and I. tingitana may be regarded as the counterparts 

 of I. xiphium and I. xiphioides respectively ; and, geographically, 

 we have I. xiphioides as the extreme northern and I. tingitana 



as the extreme southern representa- 

 tive of this section, the two being 

 separated by I. xiphium. 



Differing more widely from the 

 above than any of them from each 

 other is J. Boissieri, discovered a few 

 years ago by Mr. Tait, of Oporto, in 

 the Gerez Mountains of Spain (figs. 16 

 and 17). It is not only dwarf, the short 

 stem bearing as a rule one flower 

 only, but the flower possesses a long, 

 narrow perianth tube above the ovary, 

 and the form of the segments is very 

 different from that of the other mem- 

 bers of the group, the narrow claw of 

 the fall suddenly expanding into a 

 broad blade, and the standard being 

 broad and short. A singular feature 

 of the flower is that the yellow 

 " signal " of the fall bears a number 

 of short hairs, almost forming a 

 " beard." In many respects it draws 

 near to /. Sisyrinchium, and we may 

 perhaps regard it as a remnant of an older form of Irfe which 

 was once prevalent in Spain, but which has been pushed out by 

 the newer L xiphium. The rich red-purple of its flowers makes 

 this Iris a welcome addition to our gardens. 



We may place in this group too the beautiful J. juncea (fig. 18) 

 with its handsome, fragrant yellow flowers, though it differs widely 

 from I. xiphium in the characters not only of the flower, but 

 also of the bulb. The bulbs are more globose, not so elongated 

 as those of J. xiphium, and, as they grow old, become covered 

 with a nest of stiff brown coats. The flower, which possesses a 



FIG. 10. IBIS BOISSIERI 

 (reduced one-fourth). 



