Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 9 (1871).djvu/52

 42 MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS XIPHION.

Bulb ovoid, 9-12 lines thick, with a coat of densely matted grey fibres and from tlie base a tuft of fibrous rootlets. Leaves produced from the apex of the bulb only, not fully developed at the flowering time, erect, finally 6-9 inches long, linear-filiform, deeply channelled down the face, not more than a line broad, clasping by a sheath at the base. Scape not more than 2-3 inches high, erect, the flower always solitary. Valves of the spathe 2-3 inches long, not ventricose, 3-4 lines broad. Ovary shortly stalked in the spathe. Tube very slender, 2-3 inches long above the ovary, usually longer than the spathe at the flowering time. Limb deep violet, 1^ inches deep in the wdd plant. The outer divisions 5-6 lines broad, with a bright yellow keel internally ; the inner erect, as long but rather narrower. Stigmas with the crest as long as the limb, the latter about half an inch deep.

Hab. Georgia, Hohenacker ! Szovits ! Fischer ! etc. Caucasus, Klus- tine ! Iberia, Stevens! Zamba ! Wilhelms ! Armenia, Ancher-Eloy, 5344 ! Zohrab ! Huet du Pavilion! etc. Kurdistan, Olgura ! Garden! Cap- padocia, Montbret ! Aucher-Elov, 2132! Palestine, near Jerusalem, Dr. Roth !

This is a very distinct plant, now a great favourite in our gardens from its early flowering, bright deep colours and delightful violet fragrance. It flowers in England in February and March, and in its native regions always grows high up on the mountains, near the snows. A Lebanon plant, gathered by Gaillardot, (Herbier de Syrie, n. 93 !) (lifters from the type by its larger flowers (limb quite 2 inches deep), which are consider- ably paler in colour, with outer segments 8-9 lines broad, with a lamina nearly as long as the claw, but erect ; the inner divisions not more than a quarter of an inch broad.

8. X. diversifolium, Klatt ; bulbo ovoideo fibroso-tunicato, caule erecto 1-2-floro 6-9-pollicari, foliis linearibus erectis caule super.intibus, spathse valvis 2-3-uncialibus vix ventricosis ad basin limbi attingentibus, pedun- culis 2-3-nncialibu3, perianthii tubo obsoleto, limbo ultra unciali seg- mentis oblanceolatis eequilongis, stigmatibus cum cristis limbo sequan- tibus. — X. diversifoUinn, Klatt, Linnsea, vol. xxiv. p. 572. Iris diver- sifolia, Steud. in Schimp. PI. Abyss, sect. 2. n. 1173. Viensseiuia Schimperi, Hochst. in Schimp. PL Abyss, sect. 2. n. 1296, A. Eich. Tent. Fl. Abyss, vol. ii. p. 305.

Bulb ovoid, an inch thick, the outer coats fibrous, the inner dark brown, membranous, prolonged 2-3 inches up the stem. Stem erect, 6-9 inches high, 1-2-flowered. Leaves linear, erect, overtopping the flowers, 3 lines broad where they leave the stem. Spathe 2|-3 inches deep, the valves linear, attaining the base of the limb at the flowering time. Peduncle as long as the spathe. Tube of the perianth quite obsolete. Limb 12-15 lines deep ; the outer and erect inner divisions obovate-lanceolate, sub- eqiial. Stigmas as long as the limb, 2 lines broad at the base of the crest.

Hab. Abyssinia, in dry mountain meadow's near Enschedcap, Schiraper !

Evidently a very distinct species, but I have seen only two dried speci- mens in indifferent condition.

9. X. SispmchiKm, 'Baker ; bulbo globoso fibroso-tunicato, caule firmo flexuoso 3-12-unciali vel ultra 2-6-floro, foliis p^oductis plerisque duobus distichis falcatis angustissime linearibus dorso semiteretibus 6-12-un- cialibus, spathse valvis l|^-2-uncialibus valde ventricosis, ovario sub- sessili, tubo gracili subunciali, perianthii limbo tcncrrimo ca^ruleo-violaceo

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