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others included in the Evansia section or subgenus, by reason of the 

 conspicuous median ridge (crest) on the fall. As I have elsewhere 

 (Gard. Chron. 1887, i. p. 611) urged, though the group Evansia seems 

 to me a natural group, I cannot attach any importance to the ridge on 

 the fall. Indeed, in general I may say that the prominence, or want 

 of prominence, of a median ridge on the fall, and whether it is a mere 

 even ridge, or toothed, laciniated, or cut up into a beard, is about the 

 least trustworthy character that can be appealed to in determining the 

 affinities, and so the classification, of Irises. If the presence of a beard 

 is important as a token, J. Boissieri ought to go with I. pumila or 

 germanica in the Pogoniris group. If the distinction between a ridge 

 (crest) simply toothed and one made up of hairs (forming a beard) is 

 important, what are we to say to I. Hookeriana, in which the median 

 line is occupied behind by a dense beard, and in front by a toothed 

 crest 1 Indeed, something of the kind is seen often in Irises belonging 

 to the so-called Pogoniris section. I cannot place I. nepalensis in the 

 Evansia group simply on account of the character of the median 

 ridge of the fall, seeing, on the one hand, that this is almost the only 

 character by which it agrees with the other members of the group ; 

 and, on the other hand, the same character is almost as prominent 

 in some Juno Irises, such as J. caucasica turkestanica and J. alata. 

 I. / palensis stands almost alone. (I doubt whether it has any real 

 affinity to I. stolonifera of Regel, which bears similar fleshy roots, but 

 can say nothing definite, since I have not had this in cultivation.) As 

 I have urged in the text, J. nepalensis, by its almost bulbous nature, 

 by its fleshy roots, and by many features of the flower, comes nearer 

 to the Juno group than to any other, though it is markedly separated 

 from that group by the stem being sometimes branched, a character 

 which is absent from all Juno Irises. 



