THE CLASSIFICATION OF GARDEN IRISES. 
5 
we get large forms with glaucous foliage somewhat resembling pallida 
dalmatica. This latter is probably of garden origin, for no plant 
at all like it is known to occur in Dalmatia, where the prevailing 
forms are more slender and have narrower and often almost green 
foliage. 
I. variegata has been known, even in the wild state, to give rise 
to sports such as the Hungarian leucographa, in which the yellow 
ground is replaced by white, and when such forms are crossed with 
the purples of I. pallida, it is easy to see how our garden forms have 
arisen. If confirmation of this theory is wanting, it is to be found 
in the fact that seeds of the well-known ' Black Prince ' self-fertilized 
gave rise to ' Richard II.,' with its pure white standards, and to other 
forms with the yellow standards of I. variegata. The so-called 
plicata, with white flowers edged with purple, is obviously some 
form of I. pallida, but seems to contain some inhibiting factor which 
prevents the purple from extending all over the segments. 
So much for the older forms. In recent j^ears I- trojana has 
been introduced, with its pointed buds and much-branched stem, 
and has proved a good seed parent. From it came such varieties 
as 1 Isoline,' and it combines readily with I. variegata to give hybrids 
with the characteristic colourings of sambucina and squalens. 
The other species that have more recently contributed to our 
garden Irises are less easy to define, for several plants have been 
used from the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean whose botanical 
affinities are difficult to determine. 
One plant of unknown parentage is the well-known A mas or 
macrantha which Sir Michael Foster received from Amasia, in northern 
Asia Minor. This is probably not a wild species, for it does not 
set seed with any freedom, but it has undoubtedly been one of the 
parents of some fine varieties, e.g. ' Oriflamme.' Again, it is no 
longer easy to define the plant which Sir Michael Foster knew as 
I. cypriana, and we have probably lost from cultivation I. mesopo- 
tamica, which came originally from Mardin,^ and which was probably 
identical with the I. Ricardi, which forms the basis of many of 
Monsieur Denis' fine hybrids. 
It is to the size and vigour of these Eastern species, in combination 
with the colours derived from I. pallida and I. variegata, and with 
the deeply-branched stem of I. trojana, that we owe -the best of the 
more recently introduced varieties. 
