Flora, seu, De florum cultura, or, A complete florilege, furnished with all requisites belonging to a florist by John Rea, Gent.

Iris bulbosa prima Clusii latifolia.

THe first great bulbous Flower-de-luce of Clusins, before the long, broad, flaggy, thin green leaves rise up to half their height or length, putteth forth two or three flowers from the middle of them, standing on short weak foot-stalks, each flower consisting of nine leaves, as all Flower-de-luces do, whereof those three that stand up∣right are short and closed together, the three that fall down turn up the ends, and the three arched leaves, which in other Flower-de-luces cover the bottoms of them stand up, parted into two ends, in some white, but in most of a sky-colour, with a long stripe in each of the three falling leaves; and all these diversities have been found in this flower, although there be but one kinde thereof, altering in colour according to the nourishment it receiveth, as it hapneth in divers other Plants. After the flowers are past, the green leaves grow longer; the root is somthing big, round, and white, covered with brown skins, having two or three long thick roots growing under it, from whence many small fibres shoot into the ground.