228 The Reticulata Section 
Styles, slightly narrower than, and as long as, the haft of the falls, keeled, of a bluish purple 
colour. 
Crests, large, almost quadrate with a finely serrated outer edge. 
Stigma, bilobed. 
Filaments, pale violet, rather longer than the anthers. 
Anthers, blue with deep violet edges. 
Pollen, golden yellow, of the characteristic reticulata shape, one segment of the extine being, how- 
ever, noticeably smaller than the other. 
Capsule, rounded trigonal, tapering at either end, with creamy white, papery walls, about an inch 
long. 
Seeds, of the reticulata type but somewhat small. 
Fragratice. Some flowers are strongly violet-scented, others much less ; or it may be that warmth 
is required to bring out the fragrance. 
Observations. 
This beautiful little species is interesting as being separated by one distinct feature from all the 
other members of the reticulata group, namely by the structure of the leaves, which are octagonal in 
section. Its habit of growth, its flowers, pollen, seeds and netted bulb closely resemble those of /. 
reticulata but its eight-ribbed leaves are unlike those of any other known species. 
Among seedlings of this Iris slight variations in colouring are found, in the arrangement that is 
of the violet markings on the white ground, not in the actual shade of colour. Moreover, similar, 
though slight, variations are found in offsets from the same bulb, an undoubted instance of variation 
in plants produced by vegetative, as opposed to sexual, increase. 
I. Bakeriatia is perfectly hardy but, as it usually flowers during the most inclement weather of the 
year, in January and February, it is worthy of a sheltered position. If it can be given the protection of 
a temporary glass roof, when in bloom, the flowers will last a fortnight and defy many degrees of 
frost. Bulbs that are doing well may be left undisturbed for two or three years, for this species is 
not one of those that form a large number of small offsets round the base of the large bulb. A bulb 
that has flowered usually splits into two or three, one or two of which will flower in the following 
season. 
For further notes on soil and cultivation, see the introduction to the Reticulata Section. 
Hybrids. No certain hybrids of this species appear to be known but a few years ago the late 
Max Leichtlin sent me a bulb with the name of I. Bakeriana var. melaina , with a note to the effect 
that he had raised it from seed. It closely resembles the type, except that the spathes rise to the 
top of the tube, and that the deep violet edging covers a larger portion of the blade of the falls. There 
is however one marked difference, namely in the leaves, which suggests the possibility that the plant is 
a hybrid of /. Bakeriana crossed with pollen of /. reticulata. The leaves instead of being octagonal, as 
in the type, have six ribs, set at irregular intervals as in I. reticulata. 
/. Kolpakowskiana 
Regel, Act Hort Petrop. V. 263 (1877). (Named after General Kolpakowsky, a governor of Turkestan.) 
•Regel, Gartenfl. 1878, pp. 40 and 161, t 939. 
•The Garden, 1888, p. 559, t. 653, fig. 4. 
Baker, Hdk. Irid. p. 43 (1892). 
Foster in Bulb. Irises, p. 63 (1892). 
Synonyms. 
Xiphion Kolpakowskianum *Baker in Bot. Mag. 6489 (1880) from specimens grown by Burbidge at 
Trinity College, Dublin, from bulbs received from Turkestan. MS. (K). 
Maxim, in Bull. Acad. P^t XXVI (1880), 504. 
DISTRIBUTION. The neighbourhood of Wemy and the Ili River in Turkestan. 
Little Almatinka, 1877, Regel (B). 
Werny, 1877, Regel (K) (V) (B). 
Karassu (Ili district), 1886, Krassnow (K) (P) (B). 
Komissarovsk (10 miles N. of Werny), 1907, Sokalsky (E). 
Kou-jouk, 1895, Chaffanjou (no. 550 bis) (P). 
Diagnosis. 
I. Kolpakowskiana Xiphion ; /. reticulatae haud dissimilis sed vagina caulina basali unica in tubum 
connata, folia radicalia scapumque florentem fovente (neque pluribus haud connatis foliis radicalibus 
seorsim a vaginis propriis circumdatis) valde differt ; folia coinplicata nec tetragona. 
Description. 
Rootstock, an ovate bulb, covered with a network of fibres, similar to those of /. reticulata, but if 
anything coarser. 
