84 



Pig. In Wallich as above, as I. decora ; Sweet, as I. nepalensis, in 

 Brit. Flow. Gard. 2nd ser. t. 11. 



Charact. Rhizome small, covered and hidden by a nest of fibres, 

 into which the bases of the old leaves split up, bearing in the resting 

 stage a number of white, fleshy, thong-like roots. Leaves linear, ensi- 

 form, acuminate, striated, attaining their full growth after flowering. 

 Stem a foot or more, bearing a terminal bud of two to three flowers, 

 and sometimes a lateral bud, or even more than one. Spathe-valves 

 long, pointed, somewhat swollen, persistent. Tube of flower long, 



rising above the spathe-valves, 

 and expanding in a funnel- 

 shaped perianth. Blade of 

 lanceolate-spathulate fall spread- 

 ing horizontally, bearing a 

 median ridge which extends 

 along the claw, and is fringed, 

 or even cut up into irregular 

 hairs. Blade of lanceolate- 

 spathulate standard spreading 

 horizontally, or even drooping, 

 so soon as the flower expands. 

 Crests of style large, deltoid or 

 quadrate, with serrated edge. 

 Stigmatic lip narrow, deeply 

 bilobed. Anther equal in length 

 to filament. Pollen coarse- 

 Fra. 58. IBIS NEPALENSIS. grained, white. Ovary, with 



short peduncle, sharply trigonal. 



Ripe capsule trigonal, with deeply grooved sides, dehiscing at apex. 

 Seeds oval, sharply pointed at one end, brown at narrow end, but 

 over the greater part of the surface covered by white strophiole. 

 Colour of fall at margin of blade light violet or lavender, in the more 

 median region marked with violet veins on a creamy- white ground, but 

 the median ridge is yellow or orange, with brown dots or blotches ; 

 standard lavender, with fine more deeply coloured veins \ styles. 

 lavender. 



Hab. Mountains of Nepaul. 



I. NEPALENSIS var. LETHA. Foster, Gard. Ghron. Oct. 

 1892, 458. (From Letha Mountains, habitat.) 



Charact. Differs from above in being sessile. Fall with slight 

 constriction between claw and blade. Standard more distinctly 

 lanceolate. Ovary more rounded. Capsule shorter, broader. Seeds 

 more rounded. Foliage shorter, broader. 



Hab. Upper Burmah. Letha Range of Chin Hills. 



NOTE . Iris nepalensis is usually by Mr. Baker, for instance, and 



