OR DER C L. I R m A C KJ£. The his Tribe. 



Per. — Tube adherent to the ovary, limb G-parled, colored, in 2 often unequal series. 

 Si'/.— 3, alternate with the 3 petals. Anthers "J-celled, e.Ktrorse. 

 Ova- — 3-celled, rnany-ovuled. Style 1 . Stif;mas 3, dilated or pelaloid. 

 JTr. — Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous, with hard- 

 ened, fleshy albumen. 



Perennial herbj, arising from bulbs, corms or rhizomas, rarely from fibrous roots. Leaves 

 equitant, mostly distichous. Flowers with spathaceous bracts. They are chiefly natives 

 of the I'ape of Good Hope, or of the middle of Europe orNoith America. 



Properties. More remarkable for their beauty tlnm their utility. Some of them are 

 cathartic, as Iris tnberosa. The aromatic oris-ioot is the dried rh'izoma of Iris fioreiilina 

 of S. Kuropc. Saffron consists of the dried otange-colored stigmas of Crocus saiivus. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



( Stamens distinct. Iris. 1 



f Petals smaller than the sepals. I Stamens united. . Tigridia. 3 



\ I suberect, tube very long. Civcus. o 



Flowers regular. ( Pet. and sep. subequal, | spreading, flat ; tube short. Sisyrinchiuin. 4 



Flowers irregular. Stamens distinct, ascending. Seeds winged. Gludiolus. 2 



1. IRIS. 

 Sepals 3, rcflexed, laii^er (liaii Ihe 3 erect petals ; sfamens 

 disliiut; style sliort or Oj stigiria-s petaloid, coverini;' the 

 stamens. 



Name from the Greek, signifvinjr rainhoio ; on account of the vaiied colors 

 of tlie flower. Lvs. mostly ensiform. 



1. I. VERSI'COLOR. 



Stem terete, fle.xuous ; Icavrs ensiform ; fowcrs beardless ; ovriry triano-u'nr 

 with concave sides and roundish anok-s Grows in wet grounds, wiiere its 

 larjfe, blue flowers are conspicuous among the grass. Rliizoma lanre hori- 

 zontal, acrid. Stem 2 — 3 feet hi<rh, iicute on one side, often branched and 

 bearing several flowers. Leaves a f'c ot long, ^ — 1 inch wide, erect, sheatiiiuff 

 at base. Sepals spathuhite. purple, Ihe claw variegated with green, jxdlow 

 and white, with purple lines. Petals erect, paler, a little shorter than the 

 stigmas. Style siiort, bearing 3 petaloid stigmas which are refle.xed and bifid 

 at the end, purple or violet, concealing \he stamens beneath. Anther 

 oblong; seeds Hat. June. 



B. snJcnta {Torr.) ; .-ttnrri nearly straight ; prfc/s longer than the stitrinas • 

 angles of the ovary sulcate. Blue Fian-. 



2. I. PRISHA'tic.A. Bw. I. Virginica. Torr. 

 Stem round, slender, few-flowered ; li;avc.<! linear, long; Jlowers beardless • 



OTMry triarigulnr,the side doubly grooved, in similar sitiiatioiis wi;h the last, 

 readily distinguished by iis very slender habit. Rhizotna floslii-. Stem 

 smooth. 1 — 2 lines in diameter,! — 2 feet high, branching at top, and benrin'v 

 2 — (J flinvers. liracls at t!io base of the branches, witl)eriii<-. Leaves It; \v' 

 alternate, grnss-like, (5 — 10 inches long, amplexicaul. Sepals narrow, yellow 

 edged with purple. Petals linear-lanceolate. June. Buslun Lis'. 



•3. I. PLICA'ta. — S'an many-flowered, longer than the leaves ; srarnr.nts 

 of the peril! nth etnarginate, outer ones flat ; learcs bent inwaids at the "point ; 

 47/««//« membranaceous at the apex; fiuwcrs beardless, lower ones pedunculate; 

 stigmas with acute, serrate divisions. iVative of the South of Europe. Com- 

 mon in gardens. The prevailing color of the flower is light blue, often fadino- 

 to white, aiay. Floiccr-de.-Luce. t'r. Fleur-de-lis. 



4. I. ru.MiLA. — Scape very short (3~G inches;, l-9owered; s/mthe 

 shorter than the tube; sepnls reflexed, narrower than the eiect petals. A 

 nil 



