75 



St 



Fig. Bot. Mag. t. 1 ; Redoute, Ltt. t. 189 ; Gard&i, vol. xxxiii. 

 (1888), p. 558. 



Charact. Bulb ovoid, sometimes as large as a hen's egg, with 

 fleshy radish-like roots. Leaves four to five to a tuft, linear or 

 linear-lanceolate, variable in breadth in fact, but always narrowing to 

 a point, more or less arched, and bent laterally. Flower sessile, two 

 or three inches across, generally single, appearing soon after the leaves 

 begin to shoot. Tube two to three inches in length, but variable. 

 Claw of fall, which bears a 

 median, generally orange, ridge, 

 is abruptly expanded laterally 

 into triangular wings or flanges, 

 which, curving upwards, em- 

 brace the style ; blade narrower 

 than the winged claw, more 

 or less ovate, always deeply 

 coloured, with a median orange 

 ridge. Standard minute, half 

 an inch long, lanceolate, with 

 toothed or crenate edge, spread- 

 ing horizontally. Crests of 

 style large, conspicuous, quad- 

 rate, with crenate or toothed 

 edge. 



Varies very much in colour, 

 and also to some extent in form. 

 Colour of type pale blueish green, almost white, with a deep violet, 

 almost black patch on the blade of the fall, and numerous dark spots 

 on and around the orange ridge. 



The var. purpurea (Max 

 Leichtlin) is almost wholly 

 dark red-purple, with an 

 orange ridge on the fall, and 

 a deeper tint on the blade of 

 the fall. Other varieties are 

 light purple, almost lavender, 

 yellowish grey, sea-green, &c., 

 but all have a conspicuous 

 patch of deep purple, violet, 

 or even black on the blade of 

 the fall, and an orange or 

 yellow ridge. 



Time, March, but very 



variable, according to particu- V */ 



lar situation and season. FIG. 51. IBIS PBESICA var. PUBPUBEA. 



Hab. Persia, and throughout the more southern parts of 

 Eastern and Middle Asia Minor. 



FIG. 50. IBIS PERSICA. 



