Iris IRIDACEAE Tritonia 



into a tube: capsule coriaceous. About 100 species, mostly in the north temperate 

 zone; 20 or more in China. (Greek: Iris, rainbow.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Plant 5-15 cm. high: lvs. 2-4 mm. wide 1 . /. rossii 



aa. Plants over 15 cm. high. 



Pedicels longer than the spathe. 



Lvs. 4-5 mm. wide: outer perianth segments not crested 2. I. ensata 



Lvs. 10-25 mm. wide; outer perianth segments with a fringed crest 3. I. japonica 



Pedicels shorter than the spathe 4 . I. tectorum 



1. Iris rossii Baker (B.H. 392). From slender rhizomes, 5-15 cm. high; fls. white, 

 pinkish or bluish, III-IV. Northern Asia; locally in An., Ku. Grassy slopes. 



2. Iris ensata Thunb. %% (Li Shih; Wormy-hard-fruit) (B.M. 276). Tufted, 2-3 dm. 

 high; fls. lilac-purple, IV; fr. VII; lvs. long and narrow. Asia; locally in An., 

 Ki., Ku. Grassland. 



3. Iris japonica Thunb. mWili (Hu T'ieh Hua; Butterfly Flower) (B.M. 270). From 

 stout rhizomes, 3-4 dm. high; fls. blue, IV; fr. VII; lvs. broad, falcate. Eastern 

 Asia; locally in Che., Hun., Ku. Damp banks. Fig. 492. 



4. Iris tectorum Maxim. ^Jg (Yuan Wei; Kite-tail) (B.M. 270). Erect, from rhizomes, 

 4-8 dm. high; fls. large, blue or lilac, IV. China, Japan; locally in Ku. Planted, 

 ornamental. 



2. Belamcanda Adans. Leopard Flower ft^fM (She Kan Shu) 

 Erect herb from a stout rhizome; lvs. 2-ranked, lanceolate, vertical; lower ones 

 large, becoming smaller upward: infl. a many-fid. dichotomous corymb with pedicels 

 exserted: fls. several from each spathe; perianth segments orange, spotted red, oblong, 

 the three inner twisting spirally as they fade; stamens 3, attached at base of the 

 perianth segments; anthers basifixed: fr. a club-shaped loculicidal capsule with large 

 round shining black seeds. One species, in eastern Asia. (The East Indian name.) 



1. Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. Blackberry Lily M=p (She Kan) (B.M. 279). 

 From stout rhizomes, to 1 m. high; fls. orange, red-spotted, VII; fr. IX. Eastern 

 Asia; locally in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Brushland. Fig. 493. 



3. Gladiolus Linn. MMMM (T'ang Ch'ang P'u Shu; Chinese Sweet-flag Genus 

 Erect herbs bearing corms, with large showy fls. in spikes from long spathcs on 

 lfy. stems: perianth tubular or funnel-shaped; segments very unequal, narrowed at 

 the base; stamens inserted on the perianth tube: capsule large, oblong or obovoid, 

 loculicidal; seeds flattened or winged. 200 species, in the Mediterranean region and 

 Africa; 2 or 3 cultivated in China. (Latin: gladius, a sword, from the shape of the 

 leaves.) 



1. Gladiolus lemoinei Hort. (B.M. 283). Stout herb, to 1 m. high; fls. variously 

 colored, V-VII; spathes 4-6 cm. long. Introduced hybrid; locally in Ku. Planted, 

 ornamental. Fig. 494. 



4. Tritonia Ker $i)!\\\M (Ying Lan Shu; Superior-orchid Genus) 

 Erect corm-bearing herbs with branching stems and many sheathing sword-shaped 



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