77 



Telegraph Department, Bushire. Unhappily, all my plants died before 

 I could fully trace out the history ; those planted in the open started 

 in October, and were killed by the frost in winter, and those grown in 

 pots, after flowering, dwindled away. I have hitherto hesitated to 

 describe it, hoping that fresh plants and further knowledge would 

 enable me to decide whether it should be considered a new species or 

 only a variety of I. persica, a point on which I feel in doubt. I have 

 ventured, as the safer plan in the absence of adequate knowledge, to 

 consider it provisionally as a variety of J. persica. 



18. I. CATJCASICA. Hoffinann, Comm. Soc. Phys. Mosc. i. 

 p. 40 ; Marschal v. Bieberstein, Fl. Taur. Cans. i. p. 33. (From 

 Caucasus, habitat.) 



Lit. Baker, Gard. Chron. 1876, i. p. 692 ; Maximo wicz, Act. 

 Hort. Petrap. vi. p. 417 ; Melanges Biologiques (Bull. Acad. Imp. d. 

 Sci. d. St. Petersb.\ x. (1880) p. 688. 



Pig. Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard. t. 255 ; Gartenflora, t. 800 ; Loddiges, 

 Cabinet, t. 1506, sub. n. I. taurica. 



Char act. Bulb ovoid, with fleshy, radish-like roots. Leaves 

 four to six in distichous tuft, falcate, so as to be nearly horizontal, 

 lanceolate, pointed, ribbed, glaucous, with a conspicuous horny margin. 

 Flowers two to three on a stem, so short that they appear sessile 

 among the young leaves. Flower two to three inches across. Tube 

 short, but rather longer than the inflated green spathe-valves. The 

 claw of the fall, which bears a toothed median ridge, high and con- 

 spicuous at the hind part of the blade, lower on the claw, is expanded 

 laterally into wings which are 

 transparent, and which embrace 

 the style. Standards minute, 

 spoon -shaped, spreading horizon- 

 tally. Crests of style large, qua- 

 drate. All parts of the flower a dull 

 greenish yellow, except the me- 

 dian ridge of the fall and its 

 neighbourhood, which is a brighter 

 yellow, marked more or less with 

 violet spots. 



Var. MAJOR (TTJRKES- 

 TANIC A). Larger in all its 

 parts, in foliage and flower. 

 Flowers four or five on a distinct 

 stem, which is, however, wholly 

 hidden by the clasping bases of the 

 leaves. Blade of claw yellow, with 



little or no tinge of green ; median ridge full yellow or orange, 

 toothed, or even fringed, with hair-like processes ; wings of claw very 

 Dale and transparent, almost colourless. In other features same as type. 



FIG. 62. IBIS CAUCASICA MAJOR. 



