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Now these two features, the having several coats to the 

 bulb and the possession by the ripe bulb of thick store roots, 

 are common to a large number of Irises, which thus form a 

 group known as the Juno group. These two characters are, 

 moreover, accompanied by certain others. Thus the leaves are 

 usually broader and more numerous than in the Euxiphion 

 group, though this feature is somewhat variable. Again, in 

 most cases, in nearly all cases in fact, the flower has a special 

 form. The outer segment or fall, instead of having, as in most 

 Irises, the claw narrower than the blade, is broadest at the claw, 

 which is expanded sideways into two angular flanges or auricles, 

 one on each side. Further, in nearly all cases also, the inner seg- 

 ment or standard is very small, reduced often to a mere bristle, 

 and usually takes up a horizontal position, or is even turned 

 directly downwards instead of standing erect. To compensate, 

 as it were, for the smallness of the standards, the crests of the 

 styles are unusually large, and form a conspicuous part of the 

 flower. These several features, and other minor ones on which 

 I need not dwell, characterise this Juno group of bulbous Irises, 

 and may be spoken of as the " Juno characters." 



Iris persica, in the typical form so long known the stock 

 which has been so long in cultivation coming, it is stated, from 

 South Persia, in the region between Murgab and Persepolis 

 (I have not come across any recent importations of this typical 

 form) is a striking and yet beautiful plant, with a deep violet, 

 almost black, patch on the lamina of the fall, forming a pleasing 

 contrast to the white or bluish-green tint of the rest of the 

 flower. In nearly all these Juno Irises the middle line of the 

 claw of the fall is raised into a ridge or crest, which fades away 

 as it passes on to the blade ; this ridge or crest has usually a 

 distinct colour of its own, and in Iris persica is a bright golden- 

 orange, setting off and set off by the deep violet of the blade 

 of the fall. 



The short, hardly visible stem generally bears (in March, 

 sometimes earlier, sometimes later) one flower, which appears 

 sessile, but at times has two, or even three flowers. The leaves, 

 which have only just speared when the bloom appears, and do not 

 attain their full growth until long afterwards, are narrower than 

 in most other Junos, and the bulb when well grown is large, 

 being sometimes as big as a hen's egg. 



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