IRIS 



FLAG OBDEB 



lEis 923 



a moderately stiff soil suits it best. It 

 should be kept as dry as possible in winter, 

 and hot in summer. It must be sheltered 

 from winds and kept free from the roots of 

 trees and shrubs. 



I. fulva.— A United States Flag, 2-3 ft. 

 high, with bright green, narrow, sword- 

 shaped leaves. Flowers in June, bright 

 coppery brown, 2-3 in. deep, the oblong 

 clawed falls having a reddish-brown 

 down on the keel. 



Culture etc, as above for ' Beardless 

 Irises,' p. 917. Increased by division of 

 the rootstocks. Grows well in ordinary 

 soil in moist situations near lakes, ponds 

 &c. 



I. fumosa {XipMon Auclieri). — A 

 Syrian species related to I. sindjarensis, 

 from which it differs in having shorter 

 and relatively broader leaves, and in 

 the stem bearing 8-10 greenish-yeUow 

 flowers, with a, more or less smoky tint, 

 in April. Scarcely ornamental enough 

 for the flower garden, but interesting in 

 botanical collections. 



Culture Ac. as above for ' Bulbous 

 Irises,' p. 917. This species is also known 

 as I. cuprea. 



I. Gatesi. — A handsome Oncocyolus 

 Iris, native of Armenia, resembling /. 

 susiana, but having a more compact rhi- 

 zome, and shorter, narrower, and deeper 

 green foliage. The flower stem is taller, 

 l|-2 ft., and the individual blooms (which 

 appear in June) larger, of a soft delicate 

 grey — the result of very thin clear veins 

 and minute purple dots on a creamy-white 

 ground, the dots predominating on the 

 curved convex fall 4 in. across, and the 

 veins on the large roundish standard 5 in. 

 or more across. The hairs on the claw 

 beneath the grey or brovsmish style 

 flecked with dark purple are crowded into 

 a diffuse beard. 'The ripe capsule is often 

 5 in. long. As the flowers do not stand 

 even gentle winds well, the plants should 

 be sheltered as much as possible. 



Culture dc. as above for ' Oncocyclus 

 Irises,' p. 918. 



I. germanica {Common or German 

 Flag). — This well-known and orna- 

 mental Iris from Central and S. Europe 

 is more generally cuHjvated than any 

 other. It has a thick fleshy creeping root- 

 stock, tufts of glaucous sword-like leaves, 

 and flower stems 2-3 ft. high, bearing 

 many large fragrant and elegant purple 



and Ulac blossoms in May and June ; the 

 falls have a conspicuous yeUow beard on 

 a whitish ground veined with brown. 



Culture amd, Propagation. — This- 

 species flourishes in ordinary soil, and in 

 any situation, but prefers partially shaded 

 to very sunny spots as the flowers retain 

 their freshness for a longer period. There 

 are many forms cultivated in gardens, all 

 beautiful and easily grown, the best being 

 alha^ white; atropurpurea, deep reddish- 

 purple ; grisea, white veined and netted 

 with lilac ; major, large, blue and purple ;. 

 Agnes, pale lavender and blue ; Arlequin,. 

 brown and black ; Argus, violet ; Calypso, 

 white streaked with purple ; Canary 

 Bird, yellow ; Laura, pale yellow and 

 deep purple ; Lucretia, porcelain, striped 

 purple ; Othello, yellow and violet ; 

 Sappho, golden-yellow and bright blue 

 &o. They are all easily increased in ea,rly 

 autumn or early spring by dividing the 

 rootstocks and replanting and watering- 

 into rich garden soil. There is a form of 

 the German Iris called nepalenais, but it 

 must not be confounded with the bulbous- 

 Iris nepalensis, a quite distinct plant 

 described below, p. 927. 



I. graminea. — A pretty beardless Iris,- 

 native of Central and Southern Europe, 

 with solid 2-edged stems about 9 in. high, 

 and tufts of linear grassy leaves 12-18 in. 

 long, and much overtopping the flowers.^ 

 The latter are shghtly fragrant, and 

 produced in May and June, bright lilac- 

 purple in colour, 1^-2 in. deep, the 

 roundish falls being veined with bluish- 

 purple on a white ground. 



Culture do. as above for ' Beardless- 

 Irises,' p. 917. This species likes a rich 

 moist soil in warm situations, and may be- 

 increased by division. There are a few 

 varieties in cultivation, such as lam/pro- 

 phylla and latifolia. 



I. Grant-Duf6. — A pretty species,, 

 native of the Holy Land, recognised by 

 its bluish glaucous - green leaves and 

 sulphur-yellow flowers. 



Culture Ac. as above for the ' Bearded 

 Irises,' p. 917. It is easily grown in 

 ordinary soil, and may be treated in the 

 same way as the common German Flag. 



I. guldenstadtiana (I. halophila 

 (Pallas) ; I. stenogyne). — A beardless Iris 

 native of Siberia with stout flower stems 

 about two ft. high, and firm sharp-pointed 

 sword-like leaves. Flowers in June, 2 in. 

 deep ; falls white with an orange base ; 



