200 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING. 



Iris continued. 



broad, as long as the broad claw ; standards oblanceolate, erect, 

 Jin. broad ; spathe 2in. to Sin. deep, with lanceolate, acuminate 

 valves. May and June. I. numerous, superposed, terete, under 

 one line thick ; lower ones 1ft. long. Stems flexuose, terete, 1ft. 

 to lift, high, ending in a single spathe. North Africa, 1869. 

 In Algeria, according to Mr. Baker, the bulbs of this species 

 are eafS; < M. 5890.) 



Iris continued. 



upper ones gradually smaller. Stem stout, terete, 2ft. to 3ft. high, 

 ending in a single spathe. Tangiers, 1872. (B. M. 6775.) 

 I. vnlgare (common).* fl., tube scarcely any; limb 2in. to 2iin. 

 deep ; falls with an orbicular reflexing blade lin. broad and deep, 

 dashed with bright purple down the centre, and a broad ereeto- 

 patent claw ; standards purple, erect ; spathe valves Sin. to 4in. 

 long. June. I. four or six below the spathe valves ; lowest 1ft. 

 or more long, linear-sub-terete, deeply channelled ; upper ones 

 gradually resembling the spathe valves. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, 

 o^ortwo Towered Portugal, 1596. See Fig. 337. (B. M. 686, 

 uuder name of I. Xipliiiim.) 



FIG. 335. IRIS PERSICA. 



I. persica (Persian).* fl. violet-scented ; limb IJin. to 

 2in. deep; falls oblong-spathulate, iin. broad, cuneate 

 at the base, pale yellowish-lilac, with a bright yellow 

 beardless keel, waved at the edges. February and March. 

 Stem none. I. four or five in a basal tuft, linear, re- 

 curved, 2in. to Sin. long at the flowering season. Asia 

 Minor to South Persia. See Fig. 335. (B. M. 1.) 



L reticulate (netted).* fl., tube 2in. to Sin. long, exserted ; 

 limb deep violet-purple, IJin. deep; lamina of falls oblong, half 

 as long as the oblong-cuneate claw, with a narrow paler keel, 

 violet-spotted, and with a narrow yellow line down the 

 centre ; standards erect, oblanceolate ; spathe one-flowered, 

 sessile. February and March. I. generally two to a tuft, as 

 high as the flower at flowering time, and growing after- 

 wards to a length of 1ft. or more, one line thick. Caucasus, 

 <fcc. See Fig. 336. (B. M. 5577 ; L. B. C. 129 ; R. G. 452 ; S. B. 

 F. G. scr. ii. 189.) 



FIG. 336. lius RETICULATA. 



X. r. Krelagei (Kielage's). This " differs from the ty 

 nearly or quite inodorous, with a tube not exserted from the 

 spathe, and the colour of the limb a more slaty-purple, with the 

 yellow keel of the lamina of the falls fainter, and the claw not 

 merely keeled in the centre, but variegated with blotches and 

 lines that reach to the edge " (J. G. Baker). 



X. tlngltana (Tangierian).* /., tube liin. long ; limb lilac-purple, 

 3in. deep ; orbicular blade of falls shorter than the panduriform 

 claw ; standards erect, oblanceolate ; spathes two-flowered, 5in. to 

 6in. deep, with lanceolate acuminate valves. I., lower ones linear- 

 comph'cate, over 1ft. long, iin. broad after leaving the stem ; 



Flo. 337. IRIS VULGARE, showing Habit and detached Flower. 



X. V. lusitenicum (Portuguese), fl. bright yellow, or more or less 

 suffused with brown. (B. M. 679, under name of /. lusitanica.) 



I. xiphioides (Xiphion-like).* fl., limb deep lilac-purple, 2iin. to 

 Sin. deep ; blade of falls round-oblong, flushed with yellow down 

 ' i deltoid claw ; standards purple, 



the face, and rather exceeding the 

 erect, oblanceolate ; spathe about 3i 



deep. 



July. I. about six 



in a basal tuft, and three or four from the stem below the spathe ; 

 lower ones 1ft. long, linear, in. to iin. broad, deeply channelled. 

 Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, two or three-flowered. Pyrenees. Svxs. 

 /. anglica, of gardens, Xiphion latifolium. Of this species, there 

 are numerous varieties in colour of flowers. 



IRISH HEATH. See Dabcecia polifolia. 



IBIS-ROOT. The same as Orris-root (which see). 



IRON-TREE. See Parrotia persica. 



IRON- WEED. See Vernonia. 



IRONWOOD. A name applied in different countries 

 to various trees with hard timber. In the United States, 

 it is used for Carpinus americana and Ostrya virginica. 



IRONWORT. See Sideritis. 



IRREGULAR. Applied to flowers, the parts of 

 which are dissimilar in size. 



ISANDRA. Included under Thysanotns (which 

 see). 



ISATIS (the old Greek name, used by Dioscorides). 

 OED. Cruc\fer<R. This genus comprises from twenty-five to 

 thirty species of erect, branched, annual or biennial herbs, 

 spread over Southern Europe and Western Asia. Flowers 

 often yellow, loosely racemose, ebracteate. Leaves entire, 

 stem ones sagittate. The only species worthy of mention 

 here is the one described below. Propagated by seeds 

 sown in spring in almost any soil. 



I. tinctorla (dyers'). Common Dyer's Woad. fl. yellow ; 

 panicles loose, erect, elongated. Spring. L, lower ones stalked, 

 ovate ; upper ones sessile, sagittate, all more or less glaucous. 

 h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe (Britain), North Asia. An interesting 

 biennial plant. The ancient Britains stained themselves with it ; 

 later, the Saxons imported it. It is still cultivated in Lincoln- 

 shire. (Sy. En. B. 161.) 



