126 



Tall Bearded Iris 



of leaves which set about it saddle-fashion. As it 



lengthens it produces, succes- 

 sively, modified leaves (called 

 " bracts") in which, in turn, its 

 growing point is enfolded and 

 thus protected until it is suf- 

 ficiently mature for emerging 

 (Fig. XVI). It emerges some- 

 what as a new leaf emerges 

 from an older one. See Fig. XV, 

 page 123, and under Window 

 Gardening in Chapter XL 



Under some circumstances, in 

 the case of a well-established 

 plant, a rhizome will produce a 

 flower-stem from its apex the 

 next season following its produc- 

 tion of a cluster of leaves. Much, 

 however, depends upon the ma- 

 turity and vigor of the rhizome. 

 Usually when a rhizome is suf- 

 ficiently mature to produce a 

 bloom-bud, branch-buds also 

 start and they attain considerable size by the time 

 the stalk flowers. (Fig. X, page 116.) A wide thick 

 rhizome is more likely to bloom than a narrow thin 

 one of the same variety. There is also a considerable 

 difference in varieties, both as to the length of time 

 required to produce a blooming rhizome and as to 

 the number of blooming branches it will produce. 

 (See also under Rhizome, pages 119 and 120, Blooming 



FIG. XVI. FLOWER-STEM 

 SHOWING BRACTS 



