34 



The plants of Iris persica in cultivation are all very much alike, 

 and Miller remarked long ago that seedlings showed little or no 

 variation from the parent. Within the last few years, however, 

 we have obtained from various parts of Eastern, Central, and 

 Southern Asia Minor a number of forms differing from the typical 

 Iris persica, more particularly in colour, but also, to some extent, 

 in form. Mr. Max Leichtlin, for instance, has recently distri- 

 buted, under the name of I. persica var. purpurea, one of these 

 varieties found in several parts of Central Asia Minor, which 

 differs from the type chiefly in that nearly all the parts are of a 

 red-purple ; the blade of the fall, however, is especially dark, and 

 the orange signal on it affords the usual contrast. Neither 

 the fall nor the standard has exactly the form which prevails 

 in the type ; and did we possess only this purple variety, we 

 might perhaps grant it the dignity of a specific distinction. But 

 this is not the only variety. I have received from Mrs. Barnum, of 

 Kharput, and from the Rev. Mr. Gates, of Mardin, and Mr. Max 

 Leichtlin has received from these and other parts of Asia Minor, 

 plants having the general characters of Iris persica, but differing 

 not only widely in colour some being reddish, others violet, 

 others, again, steel-grey, or even sea-green but also considerably 

 in the form of the fall, more especially in the relative propor- 

 tions and details of the blade and the claw. Each of these, con- 

 trasted with the type, is so distinct that it might well be regarded 

 as a new species ; but this would entail the institution of a 

 dozen or more new species. Hence, as in other instances, we are 

 driven to consider the different forms as varieties only, so that 

 Iris persica is, after all, an extremely variable plant. A plant 

 growing in South Persia, below Shiraz, for bulbs of which I am 

 indebted to Mr. Isaacson, of Bushire, differs so much, from the 

 other varieties of I. persica that I am somewhat inclined to con- 

 sider it as a new species, but I am in doubt, and have pro- 

 visionally described it as merely var. Isaacsoni. None of these 

 varieties, to my eye, equal the singular and striking beauty of 

 the old typical form, but they are, nevertheless, nearly all of 

 them welcome additions to the garden. Most of them flower 

 earlier than the typical form. 



Iris persica is often spoken of as "not hardy," and we are 

 recommended to grow it in a frame or greenhouse. If by " not 

 hardy" is meant " succumbs to severe winter frost," the term 



