414 On Raising Varieties of the Iris Xiphioides. 



produce flowers in the summer season, of these /. Lusitanica, 

 I.juncea, and/, alata, though described by botanical writers, 

 are but little known to gardeners. J. Xiphium, and /. Xi- 

 phioides, we are sufficiently acquainted with. Mr. Gawler* 

 is of opinion that there are some species, which are yet 

 un described. 



Iris Xiphium and Iris Xiphioides are frequently con- 

 founded with each other; the first has smaller bulbs and 

 smaller flowers, and though the varieties of it are many, they 

 are not so numerous or so handsome as those of the other 

 species. The Iris Xiphium is called Spanish Iris, because 

 it grows wild in Spain. The Iris Xiphioides is a native of 

 the Pyrenees, and still absurdly retains its original erroneous 

 name of English Iris, which it received from the old Low 

 Country gardeners, because it first came to them from Eng- 

 land, where it had, no doubt, been imported from its original 

 place of growth. 



Note by the Secretary. 



When the above Paper was read, Mr. Masters exhi- 

 bited numerous samples of flowers of the English Iris, which 

 he had raised from seed; and on the same day a collection 

 of flowers of the same species, from Dutch roots, growing 

 in the garden of the Society, was also exhibited ; Mr. Mas- 

 ters' specimens were as beautiful and as various as the 

 Dutch, except that few dark blue or purple flowers were 

 amongst them ; this is to be accounted for, by the circum- 



* Botanical Magazine, No. 686. 



