The Botanical Magazine/Volume 1/1

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Iris Persica. Persian Iris.

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Class and Order.

Triandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla 6-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis. Stigmata petali-formia.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

IRIS Persica corolla imberbi, petalis interioribus brevissimis patentissimis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 79. Sp. Pl. p. 59.

IRIS bulbosa præcox minus odora Persica variegata. Moris. hist. 2. p. 357.

XIPHIUM Persicum. Miller Dict. ed. 6. 4to.

The Persian bulbous Flower-de-luce. Parkins. Parad. p. 172.

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A native of Persia. Flowers in February and March. Its beauty, early appearance, and fragrant blossoms, make it highly esteemed by all lovers of flowers; like the Hyacinth or Narcissus it will blow within doors in a water-glass, but stronger in a small pot of sand, or sandy loam; a few flowers will scent a whole apartment: it will also blossom in the open air, but requires warmth and shelter; it is propagated by offsets and seeds; the best flowering roots are imported from Holland, they bear forcing well; and hence this plant may be had to flower a full month or six weeks in succession.

Parkinson remarks, that in his time (1629) it was very rare, and seldom bore flowers.