he colour of its petals, which
though generally milk-white on their first appearance, yet have
frequently a tint of red in them, which increases with the age of the
blossom and finally changes to green; in some species of Hellebore,
particularly the _viridis_, the flower is green from first to last.

Black Hellebore grows wild on the Appenine and other mountains,
preferring such as are rocky.

If the weather be unusually mild, it will flower in our gardens, in the
open border, as early as December and January; it may indeed be
considered as the herald of approaching spring.

Like most other alpine plants, it loves a pure air, a situation
moderately moist, and a soil unmanured: as the beauty of its flowers is
apt to be destroyed by severe frosts, it should be covered during the
winter with a hand-glass, or if it be treated in the manner recommended
for the round-leav'd Cyclamen, it may be had to flower in still greater
perfection.

It is propagated by parting its roots in autumn: neither this species
nor the _hyemalis_ thrive very near London.

[9]

~Iris pumila. Dwarf Iris.~

_Class and Order._

~Triandria Monogynia.~

_Generic Character._

Corolla sex-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis. Stigmata petaliformia.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IRIS pumila corollis barbatis, caule foliis breviore unifloro. _Lin.
Syst. Vegetab. p._ 78. _Sp. Plant. p._ 56. _Jacq. Fl. Austr. t._ 1.

CHAMAEIRIS minor flore purpureo. _Bauh. Pin._ 33.

The lesser purple dwarf Flower-de-luce. _Park. Parad. p._ 186.

[Illustration: No. 9]

Gardeners, in former days, not having that profusion of plants to attend
to and cultivate, which we can at present boast, appear to have been
more solicitous in increasing generally the varieties of the several
species; accordingly, we find in the _Paradisus terrestris_ of the
venerable PARKINSON, no less than six varieties of this
plant[C], most of which are now strangers to the Nursery Gardens. We may
observe, that varieties in general not being so strong as the original
plant, are consequently much sooner lost.

The Iris pumila grows wild in many parts of Hungary, affects open and
hilly situations, and flowers in our gardens in the month of April; it
is a very hardy plant, and will thrive in almost any soil or situation;
is propagated by parting its roots in autumn.

[Footnote C:
The lesser purple dwarf Flower-de-luce with white blossoms,
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