I. LAEVIGATA
Fischer in Turcz. Cat. Balk. no. III9 (I837).
Fischer and MeYer, Ind. Sem. Hort. Petrop. v. p. 36 (=838).
Turcz. F1. Baic. Dahur. I=. pt ,. p. I96 (l856).
Maxim. in Bull. Acad. Pit. xxvI. p. 52I (I88o).
Somoku Zusetsu, II. no. 4 (Japonice Kakitsubata).
１８３７年フィッシャーによってIris ｌａｅｖｉｇａｔａと命名された
また草木図説、カキツバタの文字も見られる
DISTRIBUTION. Eastern Asia, China and Japan.
Eastern Asia. Altai Region, 1830, Prescott (K) (E).
Dahuria, Fischer (C).
Irkutsk, Hb. Besser (K) (V).
Schschukin (BM).
Possolsk, I829, Turczaninow (SP).
Amur region, Maximowicz (K) (V).
Blagowjestschenk, I898, Karo (BM) (K) (E) (V).
Eastern Siberia, Hb. Arnott (E).
R. Amgun, I909, Kusnezow (SP).
China. Mukden, I886, James (K).
Peiling (Mukden), I886, Webster (K).
Yunnan (at 5CXX) ft.), Henry (no. II927A) (B) (E).
Corea. Chemulpo, I884, Caries (E).
Japan. Hakodate, I86I, Maximowicz (K) (BM) (V).
Musashi (Tokio), Samboji, Takeda (K).
1903, Uno (BM).
1905, Yokohama Nursery Co. (E).
Observations
The differences between this species and I. Kaempferi will be found described in the observations on the latter. The typical plant is still very rare in cultivation at any rate in Europe, although garden forms from Japan have been for some years under the name of I. albopurpurea. This came originally to Kew by chance, mixed up with plants of I. Kaempferi and was described by Baker as a species. A few years ago I obtained from Japan a plant or two of the blue-flowered type under the name of I. Arbopurpurea and, these flowered, it was at once obvious that this was the plant of which albopurpurea is a quasi-albino garden form. The latter breed true from seed regards colour, for all the seedlings of the original Key plants that have so far flowered with me have borne white flowers mottled and spotted blue purple (see Plate XVIII). From this plate the type may be pictured by imagining the deep blue colour to obscure the white throughout. It was intended to have a plate of the typical plant, but unfortunately my two plants were both flowerless having been allowed to seed freely in the previous year, and specimen of albopurpurea had therefore reluctantly to be substituted. In all botanical details the variety is identical with the type, and it is only the colour that is different.
Little evidence is available as to doubling in Iris flowers, but it may be worth while to record here that among seedlings raised from the original Kew plants of albopurpurea several double-dowered plants have appeared similar in every way to the ugly monstrosities that are often sent from Japan under the name of I. albopurpurea.
The cultivation of this species presents no special difficulty provided that the soil is fairly rich in humus, not charged with lime nor allowed to become too dry in summer