I RIS PU'MILA. 
DWARF IRIS. 
Class. Order. 
TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
IRIDEA3. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Cultivated 
Austria. 
6 inches. 
April, May. 
Perennial . 
in 1596. 
No. 263. 
Both the Greeks and Latins have the word Iris, 
a rainbow ; and used it to distinguish some of the 
same tribe of plants to which it is now applied. 
Pumila, from the Latin, dwarf. 
This pretty species of Iris is now less frequently 
met with than it appears to have been a century or 
two ago. It was then noticed as plentiful, and com- 
bined several varieties, which occurred with flowers 
of different colours, as blush, pale blue, straw- 
coloured, variable yellow, white, and others; but, 
we believe, any of these are now rarely seen. The 
same was observed by Mr. Curtis, forty years ago ; 
and he conceived that gardeners, formerly not having 
to attend to the profusion of plants that have been 
subsequently introduced into cultivation, were more 
solicitous about the increase of seedling varieties of 
such as they did possess, which was very probably 
correct. 
There are upwards of fifty distinct species of Iris 
now in cultivation ; the whole of them beautiful ; and 
they are also highly desirable, from the little care they 
demand. An eastern aspect, and rather light soil, 
suits this and most others of the genus. 
Hort. Kew. 2, v. 1, 118. 
