beautifulflowers032840mbp

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166 BEAUTIFUL FLOWEBS OF KASHMIR [Plate 58
IRIDACEAE.
Plate 58
( Iris is the Greek name for the rainbow, alluding to the hues of the
flower.)
IRIS, Linn.
A. Sepals bearded.
The Iris.
I. Blade of sepal f in. broad ... ... /. kumaoncnsis.
II. Blade of sepal i in. broad ... ... I. (/ilgitensis.
B. Sepals crested ... ... ... ... I. nepalensis.
C. Sepals neither crested nor bearded.
I. Perianth -tube absent ... ... I. ensata.
II. Perianth-tube present.
1. Flowers bright lilac ... ... I. spuna.
2. Flowers yellow ... ... ... 7. aurea.
Fig. 1. Iris kumaonensis, Wall.
A perennial herb. Rootstock thick, creeping. Stems
2-12 in. high, crowded. Leaves 4-14 in. by i in. at the
time of flowering, lengthening afterwards, linear. Spathes
2-3 in., often enveloped by the uppermost leaf. Perianth-tube
2-2J in. long ; limb bright lilac, li-2 in. long. Blade of sepals
4 in. broad, mottled and bearded with a central line of yellowtipped
hairs. Blade of petals in. broad. Style-arms in.
long, margins entire, the tip deeply 2-lobed and toothed.
Capsule 1-2 in. long, egg-shaped, ends pointed.
Flowers. May, June.
Locality. Gulmarg, open grassy margs, 6,000-13,000 ft.,
common ; Tangmarg, forest, 7,200-8,700 ft. ;
Khelanmarg,
10,000 ft. ;
below Basam Gali, in open situations, above
10,000 ft.
Distribution. W. Himalaya, from Kashmir to Kumaon.
Iris gilgitensis, Baker.
A dwarf, perennial herb. Stems 4-6 in. high, tufted, basal
-
sheaths entire. Leaves 6-9 by
in., linear, Spathes
1J-2 in. long, 2-flowered. Flowers bright lilac, stalked.
Perianth-tube less than 1 in. long limb li in. long. Blade
;
of sepals \ in. broad, narrow-oblong, much shorter than
the strongly bearded claw. Petals oblong, clawed. Stylebranches
f in. long, crests small.
Locality. Gilgit, 12,000 ft.
Distribution. Endemic in Kashmir.