1. Iris bulbosa maior siue Anglica cærulea. The blew English bulbous Flowerdeluce.
This bulbous Flowerdeluce riseth vp early, euen in Ianuary oftentimes, with fiue or six long and (narrow, in comparison of any great breadth, but in regard of the other kinde) broad whitish green leaues, crested or straked on the backside, and halfe round, being hollow like a trough or gutter, white all along the inside of the leafe, and blunt at the end; among which riseth vp a stiffe round stalke, a cubit or two foot high, at the toppe whereof, out of a skinnie huske, commeth forth one or two flowers, consisting of nine leaues a peece, three whereof that are turned downewards, are larger and broader then the other, hauing in each of them a yellow spot, about the middle of the leafe, other three are small, hollow, ridged or arched, couering the lower part next the stalke of those falling leaues, turning vp their ends, which are diuided into two parts, other three stand vpright, and are very small at the bottome of them, and broader toward the toppe: the whole flower is of a faire blew colour; after the flowers are past, come vp three square heads, somewhat long, and lanke, or loose, containing in them round yellowish seede, which when it is ripe, will rattle by the shaking of the winde in the dry huskes: the roote of this kinde is greater and longer then any of the smaller kindes with narrow leaues, couered with diuers browne skinnes, which seeme to be fraught with long threeds like haires, especially at the small or vpper end of the roote, which thing you shall not finde in any of the smaller kindes.
2. Iris bulbosa maior purpurea & purpuro violacea. The paler or deeper purple great bulbous Flowerdeluce.
These purple Flowerdeluces differ not from the last described, either in roote or leafe: the chiefest difference consisteth in the flowers, which in these are somewhat larger then in the former, and in the one of a deepe blew or Violet purple colour, and in the other of a deepe purple colour, in all other things alike.
Flore cinereo.
There is also another, in all other things like vnto the former, but only in the flower, which is of a pale or bleake blew, which we call an ash-colour.
3. Iris bulbosa maior purpurea variegata siue striata. The great purple stript bulbous Flowerdeluce.
There is another of the purple kinde, whose flower is purple, but with some veines or stripes of a deeper Violet colour, diuersly running through the whole leaues of the flower.
Flore cinereo striata purpureo.
And another of that bleake blew or ash-colour, with lines and veines of purple in the leaues of the flowers, some more or lesse then other.