Class III. Order I. 



TBIANDBIA. 

 MOJVOGFNU. 



13. IRIS. 



IRIS VIRGINICA. L. Virginian Iris. Common bluejlag or 



jlower de luce. 



Flowers beardless ; leaves ensiform; stem acute 

 on one side ; segments of the stigma turned back- 

 ward. 



A principal ornament of meadows and wet grounds, its large 

 blue flowers appearing in June. Stem from one to three feet 

 high, compressed, with one side sharper than the other. Leaves 

 sword shaped, a little curved at the point. Germs obtusely 

 three cornered with flat sides. Outer petals re volute, more than 

 twice the size of the inner. Perennial. 



IRIS GRACILIS. fmihij. Boston Iris. 



Iris ijnberbis ; foliis linearibits ; caule tereti, 

 plwrifloro ; germinibus trigonis, lateribus bisulcis. 



Flowers beardless ; leaves linear ; stem round, 

 many flowered ; germs triangular, twice grooved on 

 the sides. 



Root fleshy, sending out short runners from which 

 plants arise ; stem round, smooth, slender, from one to two feet 

 high, branching at top, bearing several alternate leaves, and 

 from two to eight flowers. Leaves linear, erect, sheathing at 

 their base. Bractes or involucres close, becoming dry. Pe- 

 duncles flattened on the inside, varying in their proportions to 

 the bractes,but commonly longer. Outer petals slender, spread- 

 ing, purple at the edge, yellow and veined in the middle, the 

 yellow portion much greater than in the last species. Inner 



