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TIGRID1A VIOLACE M, La., Link, Klotsch, and Otto. THE PURPLE 
TIGER-FLOWER. 
Nat. Ord. Tigridia, Juss. —Iridaceae. Lin. Syst . Monadelphia Triandria. 
Generic Character.— Perianth 6-parted; three outer segments large, ovate, spoon-shaped at 
the base, sessile ; three inner ones smaller, unguiculate, sagittate,'contracted in the middle. 
Stamens three, monadelphous. Stigmas bipartite. 
Engraving. —Our Plate. 
Specific Character. —Stem dichotomous at the apex. Leaves ensiform, plicately nerved, 
somewhat narrow; spathe externally margined with white flowers, small, violet-coloured, 
campanulate rotate. Some transversely-folded leaf-like appendages within the mouth of 
the flower. Stigmas bipartite, lobes subulate. 
Description, &c. —This species, though very far inferior in size and 
beauty to Tigridia Pavonia , is yet well deserving of cultivation, from the 
deep rich purple of its flowers. It is a native of Mexico, and was first 
flowered in Europe at Berlin. The first notice of it published in Europe, 
was in a communication to the Garten Zeitung for 1838, by Professor 
Shclechtendal in Halle, of which the following is a translation :—“ Among 
the numerous living bulbs and tubers from Mexico, there is a Tigridia, 
which on coming into flower, immediately showed it was a new species. 
I find that my late lamented friend Dr. Schiede had drawn up a short 
description of it in his MS. memorandums, under the name of Tigridia 
violacea . May it therefore retain this name as a memento of this 
excellent botanist, and as the colour gives it a more striking character 
than any hitherto known in this splendid genus ! It is inferior in size to 
T. Pavonia , the circumference of the flower being only about that of a 
half-crown, and it is therefore more adapted for being grown in pots than 
in the open ground, although I have no doubt it would thrive very well 
and look very beautiful if planted as a border round beds of other bulbs.” 
( Garten Zeitung , 1838, p. 233.) The following additional particulars 
are taken from a w T ork now publishing in numbers at Berlin, by Professor 
Link, assisted by Messrs. Klotsch and Otto, entitled leones Plantarum. 
“ This ornamental bulb was discovered by the late Dr. Schiede, and 
sent to this garden by M. Charles Ehrenberg, in 1838. It soon began to 
grow, and after the stem and leaves were fully developed, the flower was 
not long in making its appearance. It lasts but a short time, generally 
from eight in the morning to two in the afternoon. The time of flowering 
is in July and August. It goes to rest about the autumn, and should then 
be kept dry, in a house for Cape plants, and in a moderate temperature 
of from 5° to 8° of Reaum. (45° to 50° Fahr.) till spring, when it should 
VOL. i.— no. x. 
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