This yellow variable Flowerdeluce loseth his leaues in Winter, contrary to all the former Flowerdeluces, so that his roote remaineth vnder ground without any shew of leafe vpon it: but in the beginning of the Spring it shooteth out faire broad leaues, falling downwards at the points or ends, but shorter many times then any of the former, and so is the stalke likewise, not rising much aboue a foote high, whereon are set two or three large flowers, whose falling leaues are of a reddish purple colour, the three that stand vpright of a smoakie yellow, the arched leaues hauing their ridges of a bleake colour tending to purple, the sides being of the former smoakie yellow colour, with some purplish veines at the foote or bottome of all the leaues: the roote groweth somewhat more slender and long vnder ground, and of a darker colour then manie of the other.
Another sort hath the vpright leaues of a reasonable faire yellow, and stand more vpright, not bowing downe as most of the other, and the purple fals haue pale edges. Some Varietas. haue their greene leaues party coloured, white and greene, more or lesse, and so are the huskes of the flowers, the arched leaues yellow, as the vpright leaues are, with purplish veines at the bottome. And some haue both the arched and vpright leaues of so pale a yellow, that we may almost call it a straw colour, but yellower at the bottome, with purple veines, and the falling leaues purple, with two purple spots in them.
And these are the sorts of the greater tuberous or Flagge Flowerdeluces that haue come to our knowledge: the next hereunto are the lesser or narrow leafed kindes to be described; and first of the greatest of them.
1. Iris angustifolia Tripolitana aurea. The yellow Flowerdeluce of Tripoly.
This Flowerdeluce I place in the forefront of the narrow leafed Flowerdeluces, for the length of the leaues, compared with the breadth of them; it may fitly bee called a narrow leafed Flowerdeluce, although they be an inch broad, which is broader then any of them that follow, or some of those are set downe before, but as I said, the length make them seem narrow, and therefore let it take vp his roome in this place, with the description that followeth. It beareth leaues a yard long, or not much lesse, and an inch broad, as is said before, or more, of a sad greene colour, but not shining: the stalke riseth vp to be foure of fiue foote high, being strong and round, but not very great, bearing at the toppe two or three long and narrow gold yellow flowers, of the fashion of the bulbous Flowerdeluces, as the next to bee described is, without any mixture or variation therein: the heads for seede are three square, containing within them many flat cornered seedes: the roote is long and blackish, like vnto the rest that follow, but greater and fuller.
| 1 | Iris Chalcedonica siue Susiana maior. The great Turkie Flowerdeluce. |
| 2 | Iris alba Florentina. The white Flowerdeluce. |
| 3 | Iris latifolia variegata. The variable Flowerdeluce. |
| 4 | Chamæiris latifolia maior. The greater dwarfe Flowerdeluce. |