Iris. CXLIX. IRIDACEiE. 5« 



reflexed, about as long as, the stamens. Capsule ovate, dissepiments arising 

 from the centre of each valve. Seeds white. July, Aug, 



3. ALETRIS. 



Gr. (oXrtap) aXtiarpoi, meal; from the powdery dust with ■which the plant is covered. 



Perianth 6-cleft, tubular, rugose, persistent ; stamens issuing at the 

 top of the tube, style 3-sided, 3-partible ; capsule opening at top, 

 many-seeded. — JLvs. radical, rosulate. Scape many-Jlowered. 



1. A. FARINOSA. (A. alba. M.c.) Star-grass. Colic Root. 



Lvs. broad-lanceolate ; Jls. oblong-tubular, pedicelled ; perianth in fruit 

 rugose or mealy in appearance. — Grows in low grounds, in most of the States. 

 Root premorse, intensely bitter. Scape 20 — 30' high, with remote scales or 

 bracts, and surrounded at base with a cii'cle of lanceolate, sessile leaves. These 

 are 3 — 4' long, J as wide, and lie flat upon the ground. Flowers in a long, 

 thin raceme. Perianth white, |-' long, on very short pedicels, rugose without 

 when old. Medicinal. July. 



2. A. AUREA. Walt. Yellmo Aletris. 



Lvs. lanceolate ; Jls. subsessile ; perianth, short, tubnlar-campanulate, yel- 

 low, finally rugose and very scabrous. — In the pine barrens of N. J. to Car,, 

 abundant. Scarcely distinct from the preceding. Torrey. Scape 2 — 3f high, 

 with few, yellow flowers in the spicate raceme. Leaves all radical, Jl., Aug. 



Order CXLIX. IRIDACE^.— Irids, 



H&rhs perennial, ansing from bulbs, oorms or rhizomas, rarely from fibrous roots. 

 Lvs. equitaiit, mostly distichous. Tls. with spathaceoiis bracts. 

 jPt;-.— Tube adherent to the ovary, limb 6-parted, colored, in 2 often unequal senes. 

 fcVa. 3, alternate with the 3 petiils. ^wr^z^rs 2-celled, extrorse. 



Ova. 3-celled, many-ovuled. Stijle 1. Stigmas 3, dilated or petaloid. lalbMnen. 



fr.— Capsule Scelled, 3-valved, with locuBcidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous, with hardened, fleshy 

 Genera 53, species 550, chiefly natives of the Cape of Good Hope, or of the middle of Emope or N. Amer. 

 PT(ypertie.i—MoT6 remarkable for their beauty than their utility. Some of them are cathartic, as trip 

 tuberosa. The aromatic orris root is the dried rhizoma of Iris florentina of S. Europe. Saffron consists 

 »f the dried orange-colored stigmas of Crocus sativus. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



i stamens distinct. . . . Iris. 

 rPetals smaller than the sepals. ( Stamens united. 

 J i Tube short. 

 ) < suberect. { Tube very long. 

 < regular. (.Petals and sepals subequal, { spreading.flat. Tube short, 

 t^owers ( irregular. Seeds winged 



Tigridia. 4 



Ixia. 3 



Crocus. S 



Sisyrinchium. 6 

 Gladiolus. 3 



1. IRIS. 



Named from the Greek, signifying rainbow ; on account of the varied color of the flowers. 



Sepals 3, reflexed, larger than the 3 erect petals ; stamens dis- 

 tinct ; style short or ; stigmas petaloid, covering the stamens. — 

 ZjVS. mostly ensiform. 



1. I. VERSICOLOR. BlueFla^. 



St. terete, flexuous -, lvs. ensiform ; fls. beardless ; ova. triangular with 

 concave sides and roundish angles.— Grows in wet grounds, (U. S. and Can.,) 

 where its large, blue flowers are conspicuous among the grass. Rhizoma large, 

 horizontal, acrid. Stem 2— 3f high, acute on one side, often branched and bear- 

 ing several flowers. Leaves a foot long, J— 1' wide, erect, sheathing at base. 

 Sepals spatulate, purple, the claw variegated with green, yellow and white, 

 with purple lines. Petals erect, paler, a little shorter than the stigmas Style 

 short, bearing 3 petaloid stigmas which are reflexed and bifid at the end, purple 

 or violet, concealing the stamens beneath. Anther oblong ; seeds flat, June, 



13. sulcata {Tarr.) St. nearly straight; pet. longer than the stigmas; angles 

 of the ovary sulcate. 



2. I. PRisMATiCA. Pursh. (I. Virginica. Toir.) Boston Iris 



St. round, slender, few-flowered; lvs. linear, long; ^5. beardless; ot;«. tri- 

 angular, the side doubly grooved.— In similar situations with the last, readily 



