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The Oncocyclus Section 
1 I. PARADOX A 
Steven, in Mem. Soc. Imp. Nat. Mosc. v. p. 355 (1817). 
Biebcrstein, FI. Taur. Cauc. HI. p. 41 (1819). 
Ledebour, FI. Ross. rv. p. 105 (1853). 
•Trans. Russ. Hort. Soc. 1863, t 112. 
•Gartenflora, 1863, t 386, Fig. 3. 
Baker in J. L. S. XVI. p. 142 (1877). 
Hdk. Irid. p. 20 (1892). 
Boiss. FI. Or. v. p. 132 (1884). 
•Bot. Mag. t. 7081 (1889). 
•Radde, Kauk. Mus. II. t. I (1901). 
“Lynch, Bk of Iris, p. 49 (1906). 
Synonym. 
Oncocyclus paradoxus, Siemss. in BZ. 1 846, p. 706. 
Var. Choschab, Hoog in *Gard. Chron. 1901, I. p. 104. 
•Garden, 1901, p. 248. 
[This variety is similar to the type except that the standards are nearly pure white, with faint 
violet veins. Baker (Hdk Irid. p. 20) was mistaken in describing the type as having white 
standards, for the original description calls them violet and his var. violacca is therefore nothing but 
the type. The form with white standards was imported by the firm of van Tubergen and given 
the name of Choschab from the district from which it came. More recently it has been rediscovered 
by Schelkownikow near the village of Kosmalian in the neighbourhood of Lenkoran in Talysch 
His specimens were described under the name of I. Mcdwcdewi by Fomin in Monit Jard. Bot 
Tiflis, 1909, no. 14, p. 43.] 
Distribution. Transcaucasia, Armenia and Northern Persia. 
Transcaucasia. Elizabethpol, 18 — , Hb. Besser (K). 
1834, Hohenacker (K) (B) (V). 
Helenendorf, 1838, Hohenacker (C). 
Armenia. Van, 1899-1900, Maunsell (BM). 
Seid Khadji, 18 — , Aucher Eloy, no. 5343 (K) (BM). 
Northern Persia. Aderbeidjan ; Khoi, 18—, Fischer (Hb. Hooker) (K). 
18—, Szovits (K) (B) (V). 
[As far as can be seen from dried specimens these are the variety Choschab.] 
Mt Elburz, 1848, Buhse (V). 
Diagnosis. 
I. paradoxa Oncocyclus ; ab aliis ob segmenta intericra exteriora villosa multoties excedentia facile 
dinoscitur. 
Description. 
Rootstock , a slender rhizome with crowded shoots. 
Leaves, dwarf, narrow, falcate, resembling those of I. iberica. 
Stem, 4 — 6 in. long, bearing a reduced leaf. 
Spathes, green, clasping the tube, 2 in. long, 1 -flowered, somewhat inflated and very slightly tinged 
with purple at the extreme edge. 
Pedicel, very short. 
Ovary , trigonal, under an inch long, pointed at either end. 
Tube, l — | in. 
Palls, strap-shaped, extended horizontally with nearly parallel edges. The end is rounded and 
slightly emarginate. The groundwork is a pale crimson or light purple, almost completely covered 
along the centre with black-purple hairs, giving the whole surface the appearance of black velvet. 
' 1 e< % es there are thick black-purple veins. About half an inch from the upper end there is a 
narrow cross band of pale pinkish crimson, beyond which the ground colour is almost obscured by 
thick black-purple veins ; 2 in. long by £ — £ broad. 
Standards. The orbicular blade narrows gradually to the short haft, which bears a number of blue 
or violet hairs. The bluish-white ground colour is closely veined with thick deep blue-violet veins 
and dotted with the same colour. 
Styles, of a brownish-yellow colour, closely covered with dark brown-purple spots arranged in lines. 
Crests, very small, with finely serrate edges. 
Stigma, entire, prominent, oblong. 
Filaments, tinged with purple. 
Anthers, cream. 
Pollen, cream. 
Capsule , 2 in., rounded trigonal, tapering gradually at either end. 
Seeds, globose with large creamy aril. 
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