IRIS. 



151 



tugal, Barbary. Warm sandy bor- 

 ders, or grouped in beds with the 

 English and Spanish Irises. Separa- 

 tion of the bulbs every second or third 

 year. 



Iris longipetala (Long-petalled I.) 

 A very distinct and fine species, 2 

 to 3 ft. high. Flowers, in summer; 

 white, and regularly flaked through- 

 out their whole length with rather 

 broad and even bands of bluish- lilac. 



Leaves, sword-shaped. California. 



Borders, fringes of shrubberies, etc., 

 in sandy loam. Division. 



Iris Monnieri (Golden /.) A bright 

 and noble-flowered kind, quite dis- 

 tinct from any other in cultivation; 

 2 to 3 ft. high. 'Flowers, in summer ; 

 large, fragrant, bright orange yellow ; 

 tube short; external divisions 3 in. 

 long, roundish, indented, wavy ; in- 

 ternal divisions spathulate-oblong, 2- 

 lobed at the top, shorter than the 

 external divisions ; limb of the stigma 

 of a brilliant golden yellow. Leaves, 

 lance - shaped, about 24 ft. long. 



Native of the Levant. Borders, 



margins of shrubberies, and in tufts in 

 open glades by wood-walks, in rich 

 and rather moist soil. Division. 



Iris nudicaulis (Naked-stemmed I.) 

 A very dwarf, sturdy, and hand- 

 some kind, 4 to 10 in. high. Flowers, 

 in early summer ; 4 to 7 on each stem, 

 violet-blue, large ; external divisions 

 spathulate-oboval, blunt, seldom wavy ; 

 internal divisions oval, a little longer 

 than the external divisions; limb of 

 the stigma violet. Leaves, lanceolate, 

 arching ; stem-leaves very short, re- 

 sembling spathes. Native of Southern 



Europe. Suited for association with 



the dwarf Flag, the crested Iris, and 

 other select plants on level parts of 

 the rock-garden, in the front rank in 

 the choice mixed border, and as edg- 

 ings or tufts on margins of beds of 

 choice dwarf shrubs. Division. 



Iris ochroleuca ( Yellowish I.) A 

 tall, erect, distinct-looking sort ; 1 

 to 34 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; 

 with a short greenish tube ; external 

 divisions 2 in. to 44 in. long, white, 

 marked on the claw with a yellow 

 band and yellow veins ; limb oval, in- 

 dented, yellow at the base ; internal 

 divisions much longer than the ex- 

 ternal ones, and of a deeper yellow 

 on the upper side, spathulate-oblong, 

 indented ; limb of the stigma white ; 

 Leaves, straight, stiff, striated, 14 to 

 2 ft. long. Native of South Russia. 

 Borders, among the taller herba- 

 ceous plants, and in tufts two or three 

 feet within the margin of shrubberies ; 

 best in rather moist soil; only when 

 sheltered in the last position have I 

 seen it attain a growth of over three 

 feet high. Division. 



Iris pallida (Pale-flowered 7.) A 

 tall, and noble species, 2 to 34 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in early summer ; pale 

 blue; external divisions wedge-shaped, 

 oboval, obtuse, with a whitish yellow 

 beard ; internal divisions rather longer 

 than the external, oboval -roundish, 

 obtuse, or indented ; five to nine on 

 each stem, with the odour of orange- 

 blossoms. Leaves, shorter than the 

 stem, very glaucous. Central and 



South Europe. Mixed borders, 



fringes of shrubberies, in strong tufts 

 by wood- walks, and any position in 

 which the common /. germanica may 

 be found useful. Division. 



Iris Pseudacorus (Marsh 7.) 7. 

 Pseudo-Acorus. The common Flag, 3 

 to 4 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; large, 

 almost without odour ; external divi- 

 sions yellow, with a round spot at the 

 base of a brighter yellow, veined with 

 violet ; internal divisions pale yellow. 

 Leaves green, erect, sword-shaped, about 

 24 ft. in length. Native of most parts 



of Europe. Margins of ponds, etc. ; 



the variegated form is the only one 

 likely to be required for garden use, as 



