IRIS. 



153 



with lilac and violet, 2 to 6 on each 

 stem, having a faint scent of Hya- 

 cinths. Leaves, straight, erect, 6 to 

 13 in. long; stem hollow. Vars. /. s. 

 longifolia, with long leaves ; /. s. 

 ftexuosa, with white flowers ; /. s. 

 ochroleuca, with yellowish flowers ; 

 /. s. hcematophylla (or sanguinea), with 

 purplish-violet leaves. Siberia, Aus- 

 tria, and Switzerland. Naturaliza- 

 tion, or borders, in any soil. It 

 thrives vigorously in the worst clay 

 soils, where most of the other kinds 

 grow badly or perish. Division at 

 any season. 



Iris spuria (Spurious I.) An ele- 

 gant kind, ] to 2 ft. high. Flowers, 

 in summer ; large ; external divisions 

 with a roundish bright blue limb, 

 veined at the base with violet, and a 

 whitish claw veined with violet, and 

 having a broad yellow band in the 

 middle ; internal divisions of a deep 

 blue, inclining to violet, wavy, rather 

 concave. Leaves, sword-shaped, very- 

 pointed, glaucous ; lower stem-leaves 

 much shorter than the stem, upper 

 ones inflated. Rhizome tolerably thick, 

 covered with rusty - brown scales. 



South Europe. Borders, or beds, in 



good rich loam. Division. 



Iris squalens (Squalid 7.) Very 

 closely allied to /. sambucina, of which 

 it maybe a variety ; 1| to 2^ ft. high. 

 Flowers, in summer; external divisions 

 spathulate - obovate, very obtuse, 

 erose above, of a violet blue, with a 

 bright yellow beard; internal divisions 

 pale blue, tinged with yellow, ellip- 

 tical, very obtuse, rather wavy, in- 

 dented ; limb of the stigma streaked 

 with yellow and dull violet. Leaves, 

 similar to those of /. sambucina. 



South Europe. Similar positions, 



etc., to those for the Elder-scented I. 



Iris subbiflora. A sturdy, rather 

 dwarf, and stout species, 10 to 

 15 in. high. Flowers, in summer; 

 large, violet, with a yellow beard; 



external divisions 2 in. long, spa- 

 thulate - oboval, slightly undulating 

 at the margin ; internal divisions 

 elliptical-oboval, roundish above, in- 

 dented, and as if gnawed on the wavy 

 margin, a little longer and broader 

 than the external divisions ; limb of 

 the stigma spathulate-oblong, 2 in. 

 long, violet. Leaves, straight, those 

 of the stem short, and resembling 



sheaths. Native of Portugal. 



Mixed borders, or beds of herbaceous 

 plants, or the rougher parts of the 

 rock-garden, also for naturalization, 

 though not amidst vigorous vegeta- 

 tion, in sandy loam. Division. 



Iris susiana (Mourning 7.) One 

 of the most singular of all the flowers 

 of temperate and northern climes ; 

 14 to 2 1 ft. high. Flowers, in early 

 summer ; very large, densely spotted 

 and striped with dark purple on a grey 

 ground; external divisions oval, wavy, 

 with a violet beard ; internal divi- 

 sions wedge-shaped-obovate ; limb of 

 the stigma violet. Leaves, narrow, 

 lanceolate- acute, glaucous. Native of 



Asia Minor and Persia. In sunny 



nooks in the rock-garden, or on shel- 

 tered banks or borders, always in 

 light, warm, and thoroughly drained 

 soil. In mild and warm parts of the 

 south and west it may be easier to 

 cultivate than about London ; in any 

 case it is one of the most interesting 

 plants grown in the open garden, and 

 deserves our best attention. In cold 

 districts or on heavy soil the protec- 

 tion of a handlight would be desirable 

 in winter. Increased by division. 



Iris Swertii (Swert's 7.) 1 to 2 ft. 

 high. Flowers, in summer ; very fra- 

 grant, milk-white, veined with violet 

 on the edges, with a beard yellow at 

 the base and bluish at the ends ; ex- 

 ternal divisions spathulate - obovate, 

 indented, obtuse ; internal divisions 

 obovate, indented, truncate at the 

 ends, wavy, glabrous. Leaves, usually 



