RHIZOMA IRIDIS. (j61 



of Florence and Lucca, but in our opinion only as a naturalized 

 plant.^ 



These three species, but especially /. gennanica and /. j)<Mida, are 

 cultivated for the production of orris root in the neighbourhood of 

 Florence. They are planted on the edges of terraces and on waste, 

 stony places contiguous to cultivated ground. /. florentina is seldom 

 found beyond the precincts of villas, and is far less common than the 

 other two. 



History — In ancient Greece and Rome, orris root was largely used 

 in perfumery; and Macedonia, Elis, and Corinth were famous for their 

 unguents of iris.^ Theophrastus and Dioscorides were well acquainted 

 with orris root ; the latter, as well as Pliny, remarks that the best comes 

 from Illyricum, the next from Macedonia, and a sort still inferior from 

 Libj'a; and that the root is used as a perfume and medicine. Visiani^ 

 considei"s that Iris gemianica is the Illyiian iris of the ancients, which 

 is highly probable, seeing that throughout Dalmatia (the ancient Illyri- 

 cum) that species is plentiful, and I. florentina and 7. pallida do not 

 occur. At what period the two latter were introduced into Northern 

 Italy we have no direct evidence, but it was probably in the early 

 middle ages. The ancient arms of Florence, a white lily or iris on a red 

 shield,^ seem to indicate that that city was famed for the growth of 

 these plants. Petrus de Crescentiis^ of Bologna, who flourished in the 

 13 th century, mentions the cultivation of the white as well as of the 

 purple iris, and states at what season the root should be collected for 

 medicinal use. 



But the true Illyrian drug was held to be the best ; and Valerius 

 Cordus® laments that it was being displaced by the Florentine, though 

 it might easily be obtained through the Venetians. 



Orris root mixed with anise was used in England as a perfume for 

 linen as early as 1480 (p. 311), under which date it is mentioned in the 

 Wardrobe Accounts of Edward IV. 



All the species of iris we have named were in cultivation in England 

 in the time of Gerarde, — that is, the latter end of the 16th century. 

 The starch of the rhizome was formerly reckoned medicinal, and direc- 

 tions for its preparation are to be found in the Traicte de la Chymie 

 of Le Febvre, i. (1660) 310. 



Production — The above-mentioned species of iris are known to the 

 Tuscan peasantry by the one name of Giaggiolo. The rhizomes are 

 collected indiscriminately, the chief quantity being doubtless furnished 

 by the two more plentiful species, I. gei^nanica and /. pallida. They 

 are dug up in August, are then peeled, trimmed, and laid out in the 



* From observations matle at Florence in flower-stem short as in /. germanica; is a 



the spring of 1872, I am led to regard the more tender plant than the other two, and 



three spices here named as quite distinct. blossoms a little later. — D.H. 



The following comparative characters are ^ For further information, consult Bliim- 



pei-haps worth recording : — ner, Din gewerbliche Thatigkelt der Volker 



I. germanica — flower-stem scarcely li des klassischen Alterthums, 1869. 57. 76. 83. 



times as tall as leaves; flowers more crowded ^ Flora Dalmatica, i. (1842) 116. 



than in I. pallida, varying in depth of colour * Dante, Divina commedia, cant. nvi. 



but never pale blue. ' De omnibus agriculturcB partibus, Basil. 



/. pallida — bracts brown and scariose ; 1548. 219. 



flower-stem twice as high as leaves. * Dispensatorium, Xorimb. 1529. 288. 



/. Jlorentina — bracts green and fleshy ; 



