IXIACEAE 305 



3-5 cm. long: perianth blue, 4-5 em. broad, fugacious: sepals obovate, with white 

 and violet-spotted claws: petals oblaneeolate, acute: filament-tube 4 mm. long, blue: 

 capsules oblong-clavate, 2-2.5 cm. long. 

 On prairies, Texas. Spring. 



2. Herbertia Watsonii Baker. Stems 1-2 dm. tall: leaves mainly basal, usually 

 1-2; blades sheathing at the base: spathe about 3 cm. long: perianth purple, 

 about 5 cm. broad: sepals oblaneeolate, about 2.5 cm. long: petals obovate, 6 mm. 

 long: filaments united nearly to the top, 6 mm. long. 



On damp prairies, Texas. Spring. 



6. IRIS L. 



Herbs with long rootstocks. Leaf -blades narrow. Flowers solitary or clustered, 



not conspicuously long-stalked. Sepals and petals usually showy, united below, the 



sepals recurved, the petals usually smaller and erect or nearly so. Styles petal-like. 



Seeds flattened. Flag. Fleur-de-Lis. 



Stems usually less than 1 dm. tall, covered by the leaves: outer and inner perianth-lobes nearly equal. 

 Leaves Hnear: outer perianth-lobes crestless: angles of capsule obtuse. 1. /. verna. 



Leaves more or less broadened near the middle: outer perianth-lobes crested: 



angles of capsule acute. _ 2. I. cristata. 



Stems usually over 3 dm. tall, leafy: outer perianth-lobes larger than the inner. 



Perianth reddish brown or red. 3. I. fuloa. 



Perianth blue or lilac variegated with white, green or yellow or rarely white. 

 Leaves less than 1 cm. broad. 



Flower usually solitary: blades of outer perianth-lobes suborbicular or 



ovate, blue variegated with yellow and purple. 4. I. tripetala. 



Flowers usually several : blades of outer perianth-lobes cuneate or obo- 

 vate, blue variegated with white. 5. I. prismatica. 

 Leaves more than 1 cm. broad. 



Seeds in 1 row in each cavity. 6. I. Caroliniana. 



Seeds in 2 rows in each cavity. 



Flowers and capsules pedicelled. 7. /. versicolor. 



Flowers and capsules sessile or nearly so. 8. /. hexagona. 



1. Iris v6rna L. Leaf -blades narrowly linear, elongating in age, mostly 4-8 



mm. wide : flowers violet-scented : perianth violet-blue, or rarely white ; tube barely as 



long as the bracts, about as long as the lobes: capsule 12-15 mm. long. 



In open woods or on dry slopes, Pennsylvania to Georgia, Kentucky and Alabama. 

 Spring. Violet Iris. 



2. Iris cristata Ait. Leaf -blades somewhat broadened near the middle, rela- 

 tively wider than in I. verna: flowers barely scented: perianth bright or pale blue; 

 tube longer than the bracts, longer than the lobes: capsule 15-18 mm. long. 



On banks or hillsides in open woods, Maryland to Ohio, Missouri, Georgia and Ten- 

 nessee. Spring. Crested Iris. 



3. Iris fulva Ker. Stem 3-9 dm. tall: leaf -blades mostly 1-1.5 cm. wide: 

 perianth reddish brown or red variegated with blue or green, the calyx-lobes oblong 

 to ovate-oblong: stigma-appendages entire: capsule 2.5-3 cm. long, 6-angled. 



In swamps, Kentucky to Illinois, Missouri, Georgia and Texas. Spring. 



4. Iris trip6tala Walt. Stem 3-7 cm. tall: leaf -blades less than 1 em. wide: 

 perianth blue variegated with yellow and purple, the calyx-lobes with ovate or sub- 

 orbicular clawed blades 3^ em. long: stigma-appendages toothed: capsule 3-3.5 cm. 

 long, 3-angled. 



In low pine lands. North Carolina to Florida. Spring and summer. 



5. Iris prismitica Pursh. Stem 3-9 dm. tall : leaf -blades less than 1 cm. wide : 



perianth blue variegated mainly with white, the ealyx-lobes spatulate, about 4 cm. 



long: capsule 2.5-4 cm. long, acute-angled. 



In swamps or low grounds. New Brunswick to Pennsylvania and Georgia. Spring. 

 Blub Gladiole. 



6. Iris Caroliniana S. Wats. Stem 5-9 dm. tall: leaf -blades mostly 1.5-2 em. 

 wide: perianth lilac variegated with yellow, purple and brown, the calyx-lobes 

 broadly spatulate, 8-10 em. long: capsule 3-5 cm. long, obtuse-angled. 



In swamps, Virginia to Florida. Spring. 



7. Iris versicolor L. Stem 8-10 dm. tall: leaf -blades mostly 1.5-2.5 cm. wide: 

 perianth blue or lilac variegated with white, yellow or purple, the calyx-lobes spatu- 

 late to ovate-spatulate, 7-9 cm. long: capsule 3-4 cm. long. 



In swamps or on river banks, Newfoundland to Manitoba, Florida and Arkansas. 

 Spring to fall. 

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