Iris. CXLIX. IRIDACE.E. 541 



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

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



3. ALETRIS. 



Gr. (^aXtiap^ a^eiarpog, meal; from the powdery dust with which the plant is covered. 



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

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

 many-seeded. — Lvs. radical, rosulate. Scape many-flowered. 



1. A. FARiNosA. (A. alba, Mx.) Star-grass. Colic Root. 



Lvs. broad-lanceolate ; Jls. oblong-tubular, pedicelled ; peria7ith 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 circle of lanceolate, sessile leaves. These 

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

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

 when old. Medicinal. July. 



2. A. AUREA. Walt, Yelloio Aletris. 



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

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

 abimdant. 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. 



Herbs perennial, arising from bulbs, corms or rhizomas, rarely from fibrous roots. 



Lvs. equitant, mostly distichous. Fls. with spathaceous bracts. 



Per.— Tube adherent to the ovary, limb 6-parted, colored, in 2 often unequal series. 



Sta. 3, alternate with the 3 petals. Anthers '2-celled, e.xtrorse. 



Ozja. 3-celled, many-ovuled. Style \. Szifwa-J 3, dilated or petaloid. lalbtmnen. 



Fr.— Capsule 3-relled, 3-valved, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous, with hardened, fleshy 



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



Properties.— More remarkable for their beauty than their utility. Some of them are cathartic, as Iris 

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

 of the dried orange-colored stigmas of Crocus sativus. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



^ stamens distinct. . . . Iris. 1 



{Petals smaller than the sepals. \ Stamens united. . . . Tigridia. 4 



p'ube short. . . . Ixia. 2 



^ suberect. \ Tube very long. . . Crociis. 6 



Petals and sepals subequal, ispreading.flat. Tube short. . . Sisyrincfiiu7n. s 

 Flowers I irregular. Seeds winged 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. — 

 Lvs. mostly ensiform. 



1. I, VERSICOLOR. Blue Mag. 



St. terete, flexuous ; lvs. ensiform ; fs. 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, i — 1' wide, erect, sheathing at base. 

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

 with purple lines. Petals f.'rect, 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. 



/?. sulcata {Tarr.) .S7. nearly straight; pd. longer than the stigmas; angles 

 of t/i£ ovary sulcate. 



2. I, PRisMATicA. Pursh. (I. Virginica. Torr.) Boslim Iris. 



St. round, slender, few-flowered; lvs. linear, long; /.';. beardless; ova. tri- 

 an^'ular, the side doubly gro(»vpd.— In similar situations with fhp last, readily 



