542 CXLIX. IRIDACE^. Tigridia. 



r1i<5tino-uished bvits very slender habit. Mass. ! to N. J. Rhizoma fleshy. Stem 

 smooth 1-2" in diam, l-2f high, branching at top and bearing 2-6 flowers. 

 Bracts at the base of the branches withering. Leaves few, alternate, grass- 

 li[re, 6—10' long, amplexicaul. Sepals narrow, yellow, edged with purple. 

 Petals linear-lanceolate. June. 



3. I. LACUSTRIS. Nutt. 



Ijvs ensiform, longer than the low, compressed, 1-flowered scape ; see-, 

 of the perianth nearly equal, obtuse, eraarginate, the sepals scarcely crested ; 

 raps turbinate 3-sided, margined.— Islands of Lake Huron, near Mackinaw, 

 NnttaU Roots extensively creeping. Leaves 2—5' by 3—4", those of the scape 

 bract-like. Scape 1 —2' high. Flowers pale blue, the sepals rather broader. J n. 

 4. I. sAMBUCiNA. Flower-de-Lnoce. i^r.,M€W7--<fe-Z/5.—S'<. many-flowered, longer 

 than the leaves ; segme7ifs of the perianth eraarginate, outer ones flat ; Ivs. bent 

 inwards at the point ; spathe membranaceous at the apex ; fls. beardless, lower 

 ones pedunculate ; stig. with acute, serrate divisions.— Native of the South of 

 Europe. Common in gardens. The prevailing color of the flower is light 

 blue, often fading to white. May. f 



5 I. FUMiLA. Dwarf Iris.— Scape very short (3—6'), 1-flowered; spathe 

 shorter than the tube ; scp. reflexed, narrower than the erect petals.— A small 

 species from H-ungary, cultivated in the edgings of walks. Leaves numerous, 

 broad-ensiform, suberect. Flowers large, deep purple, appearing in early spnng.f 



6 1 ocHROLEUc A. —Beardless ; Ivs. ensiform, depressed, striate ; scape sub te- 

 rete ; Ota. 6-angled.— A tall species from Levant. Stem 3— 4f high. Flowers 

 ochr'oleucous or sulphur-yellow. July, f 



7 I Chinensis. China Iris.— Scape compressed, many-flowered; stigmas 

 lacerated. A small species from China. Flowers elegantly striped. A few- 

 other species are rarely cultivated in gardens, f 



2. IX I A. 

 Gr. i^os, sticky ; alluding to the glutinous juice of some species. 



Spathe of 2 or 3, ovate, short bracts ; petals and sepals distinct or 

 slightly united, similar, regular ; sta. 3 ; filaments filiform ; stigma 

 straight or incurved, fixed by the base, subfiliform. 



I. Chinensis. — SL terete, flexuous, leafy; ^I's. ensiform, vertical, sheathing ; 

 panicle somewhat dichotomous and corymbose ; perianth campanulate, segments 

 6, lance-linear.— Native of S. Africa, frequent in gardens, Western and South- 

 ern States. Whole plant smooth, 3— 5f high. Leaves erect, tapering to an 

 acute point. Flowers yellow, spotted with red inside, about 1' long. Jl., Aug.f 

 3. GLADIOLUS. 



Lat. ffladius, a sword ; in reference to the form of the leaves. 



Spathe 2-leaved ; perianth irregular ; stamens distinct, ascending ; 

 stigmas 3 ; seeds winged. — A large genus of bulbous plants, with large 

 and showy fiowcrs. None native. 



G. COMMUNIS. — Spike unilateral; upper segmerit of the perianth covered by the 

 lateral ones. 3 lower marked by a white,''linear-lanceolate spot, lowest very 

 large.— A fine border flower, from S. Europe. Stem 2— 3f high, with the flow- 

 ers arranged in a long, somewhat spiral row upon it. Perianth large, deep red, 

 variegated with white. Its colors are liable to considerable variation. Jl. f 



4. TIGRIDIA. 



Name in reference to the large spotted flowers. 



Spatlie 2-leaved ; the 3 sepals larger than the 3 petals ; stamens 

 monadelphous ; filaments united into a long tube. 



T. Pavonia. Tiger Flonxr. — 5". simple, flexuous; ivs. ensiform, veined; 

 segments flat; ppj. pandunform. — A superb, bulbous plant, with large, beautiful 

 flowers, native of Mexico and Peru. Stem 2f high or more, erect, round, leafy, 

 somewhat branched. Leaves erect, smooth, a foot long. Flower inodorous, 



