INOPSIDIUM. 



272 



IRIS. 



It is also of great value in filling flower- 

 beds, for an early summer display. 



Inopsidium (not. ord. Crucif'erse). 



A plant so called from its violet-like ap- 

 pearance. Only two kinds are known 

 namely, Inopsidium acaula, with white 

 flowers tinged with purple, or lilac flowers, 

 and /. album with white flowers. Both 

 are small, not exceeding the height of 3 

 inches. These profuse-blooming hardy 

 annuals, which are reproduced by self- 

 sowing, thrive in the shade on any rich, 

 damp soil, or on rock work. They are use- 

 ful for pots and vases in window gardening. 



Ipomoe'a (not. ord. Convolvula'cese). 



Beautiful climbing plants of various 

 colours. The seed should be raised under 

 glass in April and the young plants set out 

 in May. Ipomaa limbata, with its purple 

 flowers, looks well in contrast with Tropceo- 

 lum canariensa. All the ipomeas require 

 a rich light soil. In some situations the 



which the three outer ones are drooping or 

 reflexed, and the three inner ones erect. 

 They are usually divided into two sections 

 namely, the Irises proper, or German 

 Irises, and the Xiphions, or English and 

 Spanish Irises. The height of the plant is 



FIG, I. GERMAN IRIS. 



from 18 to 24 inches, while its cultivation 



plants will shed their seed and come up j s unusually simple, succeeding in any 

 from year to year in the open ground. | ordinary light rich garden soil. The Iris 



should be planted in clumps of three or 

 more, and if allowed to remain undis- 

 turbed, they will each succeeding year 

 become more effective ; planted in rose or 

 ! rhododendron beds, they are most valuable. 

 Time of planting and purchasing the same 

 as that recommended for the hyacinth. 



The yellow iris or water flag, Iris pseudo- 

 acortis, with its brilliant yellow blossoms 

 pencilled with purple-black, and the Ger- 

 man or common Iris, /. Germanica (Fig. i), 

 with purple and lilac flowers, and bright 

 yellow beard, common enough in town 

 gardens, may be taken as representative 

 examples of the first section. The English 

 and Spanish, or bulbous-rooted, irises are 

 smaller in every way, being less in height, 

 and having smaller flowers, which are, 

 however, most brilliant and beautiful in 

 colour and pencilling. Of these, fitting 



IPO MCE A LIMBATA. 



The annual varieties are noted in most 

 seedmen's catalogues. 



I'ris (nat. ord. Irid'eas). 



A genus of hardy herbaceous plants with 

 long running tuberous roots and flowers of 

 beautiful colours, mostly white, yellow, 

 brown, and purple, having six petals of 



