The Apogon Section 83 
rarely sets seed even when carefully pollinated, and attempts to work out the relationship of these two 
plants have therefore proved fruitless. 
/. hexagona is worth some trouble, for it is a magnificent Iris with broad foliage and stems over 
3 feet high. Like other aquatic Irises from hotter climates than ours, it is better suited in rich soil 
in a comparatively dry and warm position than in the bog garden, where it would probably live but 
refuse to flower. The rhizomes grow very strongly, and increase to a considerable length. Herein 
lies one of the difficulties of cultivating I. hexagona under glass, for it needs an extensive root-run. 
If it must be grown in pots, then the rhizomes must be allowed to grow over from one pot into 
another, and when the growing point is well established in the second, the old rhizome in the first 
may be cut away. 
From the evidence of herbarium specimens there is little doubt that this Iris varies considerably 
in stature in different localities. It is, indeed, owing to this variability that it is impossible to separate 
this Iris satisfactorily from I. foliosa. On trying to work out the distribution by means of the Kew 
specimens, I found that the two species were very irregularly distributed, but on my invoking the aid 
of Dr N. L. Britton, of the New York Botanical Garden, who happened to be at Kew at the time, 
it was a relief to find that such an irregular distribution was no surprise to him, and that many other 
species of plants have similarly confused habitats in that part of the United States. 
It is much to be hoped that seeds of this Iris from various localities may be obtained in England, 
and forms raised that may prove as hardy with us as I. foliosa. 
t XI. FOLIOSA 
(Plate XX) 
Mackenzie and Bush in Trans. Acad. Sci. St Louis, XII. p. 81 (1902). 
Synonyms. 
I. coelestina , Nuttall MS. (BM). 
(This specimen was collected in Arkansas and is most probably I. foliosa and not /. hexagona.) 
I. hexagona var. Lamancei , Gerard (cf. Garden and Forest, 1895, p. 329; 1896, pp. 276 and 408). 
I. hexagona, Elliot, Bot. South Carol. I. p. 46 (1821). 
(The plant here mentioned was collected at Ogechee and has a flexuous stem, shorter than the 
leaves and was therefore presumably /. foliosa.) 
Distribution. The South Eastern United States. 
(N.B. In some cases it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to separate herbarium specimens of 
I. foliosa from those of /. hexagona, cf. especially the Texas specimens.) 
Missouri. Independance, 1889, Bush (K). 
Arkansas. In Garden and Forest for 1895, P- 3 2 9 > Lora La Mance gives an account of the first 
discovery of two flowerless examples of this Iris on a rocky ledge in Benton Co., Arkansas. The 
depth of soil was only about six inches and only the two plants collected were seen. 
Kentucky. Lexington, 18 — , Short (K). 
1838, Peter (V). 
Illinois. Carlinville, 1891, Andrews (K). 
Texas. Galveston Bay, 18 — , Drummond (K). 
Rio Brazos, 1835, Drummond (K). 
[N.B. These Texas specimens are almost intermediate between I. hexagona and I. foliosa .] 
Diagnosis. 
/. foliosa Apogon ; I. hexagonae valde similis, sed folia glaucescentia ; caulis nanus. 
Description. 
Rootstock, a pale buff-coloured rhizome with greenish rings. 
Leaves , glaucous green, ensiform, 18 in. long by 1 in. broad, dying down completely in the autumn. 
New shoots appear almost at once, but do not grow until the spring. 
Stem, very short, not more than six inches, so that the flowers are hidden among the leaves. 
Spathe valves, lanceolate, green, 2 in. long. 
Pedicel , short, £ in. 
Ovary, triangular, with a double ridge at each angle. £ in. 
Tube, about f in. long, yellow, with pale greenish yellow ribs. 
Falls. The ovate blade is as long as the narrowly cuneate haft. The latter is greenish, with a 
distinctly downy ridge extending on to the blade, as in /. hexagona. The blade is of a fine blue- 
purple, except for a triangular patch of greenish-white about the end of the ridge. The pubescence 
extends over this patch. The haft is veined with green or green-white. 3^ in. by if in. 
Standards, oblanceolate, pale blue-purple, with a greenish haft. 2^ in. by £ in. 
Styles, keeled, greenish, if in. long. 
Crests, f in. long, quadrate, very pale lavender. 
Stigma, with two large lobes. 
11— 2 
