IKIS 



THE BULB BOOK 



IRIS 



ticular species or variety is limited, it 

 is better to grow the plants in pots or 

 pans. In this way they can be looked 

 after more easily, but must be properly 

 supplied with moisture during the 

 growing period. 



When seeds are ripened, they should 

 be sown in rich gritty soil in weU- 

 drained pots or pans, and kept in cold 

 frames. For two or three seasons the 

 young plants shoidd be grown singly 

 in small pots, or several in a large one, 

 until sturdy enough for the flower- 

 border. 



Alphabetical List of Species. 



The following is a short descriptive 

 list of the best Irises met with in 

 gardens, and arranged in alphabetical 

 order. The word "fall" means the 

 three outer segments, and the word 

 "standard" means the three inner 

 segments of the flowers. The three 

 petal-like stigmas, each one usually 

 sheltering a single stamen in the 

 centre, must not be confused with the 

 falls and standards. 



I. acutiloba.— A rare and distinct 

 Caucasian Oncocyclus Iris, with 

 slender creeping root - stocks and 

 narrow slender leaves curved into a 

 semicircle. Falls almost strap-shaped, 

 with a sharply reflexed lance-shaped 

 blade, pale lilac and dark purple with 

 darker distinct veins, and a ridge of 

 dense, short, dark purple or blackish 

 hairs at the base; standards pale 

 Ulac. (Gartenfl.t.S12,t.l.) 



I. Aitchisoni. — ^A species from the 

 Punjab, with purplish flowers. The 

 claw of the faU has radiating purple 

 veins on a creamy-yellow ground, the 

 blade being rich deep purple with an 

 orange crest. (Gard. 1898, t. 1182.) 



This is a bulbous Iris of the Juno 

 group. The variety chrysantha has 

 bright yellow flowers. 



I. alata (/. scorpioides ; I. transta- 

 gana; I. trialata; I. microptera ; 



Xiphion alaUim). — A handsoilie 

 bulbous Iris, native of S. Europe and 

 N. Africa, with lance-shaped, pointed, 

 pale green, distichous leaves about 1 

 ft. long. Flowers from October to 

 December, with a bright lilac-purple 

 limb about 3 ins. deep ; falls oblong, 

 with bright yellow ridge at the base ; 

 standards somewhat spoon-shaped, 1 

 in. long, spreading horizontally. (£ot. 

 Beg. t. 1876.) 



This species varies a good deal, and 

 several forms have received special 

 names like lilacina, speciosa, cinerea, 

 nigrescens, cupreata, Tnagna, Leicht- 

 lini, pallida, alba, etc. 



I. Albert!. — A native of Turkestan, 

 with a stout root-stock and sword-like 

 slightly glaucous leaves Ij to 2 ft. 

 long. The large bright lilac flowers 

 appear in May and June, having 

 densely bearded falls veined with 

 dull brown and lUac on a white 

 ground. {Bot. Mag. t. 7020.) 



I. albopurpurea. — A Japanese 

 species closely related to I. hexagona. 

 It has white flowers spotted with 

 purple, the inner segments being 

 erect. {Bot. Mag. t. 7511.) 



I. aphylla (/. furcata). — A Central 

 European and Caucasian Iris, with 

 leaves 6 to 12 ins. long and less than 

 1 in. broad. The dark lilac flowers 

 are about 2j ins. long, having a white 

 beard. {Bot. Mag. t. 2361 ; Bot. Reg. 

 t. 801.) 



I. Aschersonl. — This species from 

 Asia Minor is closely related to /. 

 Grant Buffl, but has much narrower 

 leaves, and the flowers are greenish- 

 yellow with purple lines {Gard. 1902, 

 Ixi. 288, ff.). 



I. aslatlca. — This is closely related 

 to /. germaniea, but has larger 

 flowers. It has grey-blue standards, 

 with falls of a rich bluish-purple, and 

 yellow and brown veins. Native of 

 Asia Minor. 



I. atrofusca. — A beautiful Oncocy- 



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