THE MONOCOTYLEDONES 



2035 



produced which form flowering shoots up to 4 ft. in height. The flowers 

 are very beautiful, the faUs being of a contrasting colour to the erect or 

 standard petals and to the petaloid styles. Ins laevigata is the source of the 

 Japanese Irises which are somewhat similar to the Flag Irises but less hardy. 

 Among the Beardless Irises we have several well-known forms, e.g., Insstylosa 

 (ungutcularis), with its bright violet flowers which appear about Christmas 

 time a very popular species. /. stbnka (Fig. 1973) ^^ also trequently 

 grown A number of other hybrid forms have also been produced which 

 have been derived from our British species, /. pseudacorus and /. foett- 

 dissima. Most of them are moisture-loving plants in contrast to the Bearded 

 Flags and I. stylosa, which thrive best in dry, limy soils. 



Among the bulbous Irises are included 

 the so-called Spanish, Dutch and English 

 Irises. The Spanish Irises have been derived 

 ' from /. xiphiiim, while the Dutch have 

 apparently come from a specially large, 

 early-flowering strain of Spanish Iris. The 

 English Iris is derived from /. xiphioides. In 

 addition to these there are a number of 

 other bulbous species producing flowering 

 shoots less than a foot in height. 



The dried rhizome of I.florentina smells 

 like violets and is sold as Orris Root. It is 

 used in perfumery and essence of violets is 

 prepared from it. 



The genus Moraea contains about sixty 

 species which are found mostly in Africa 

 and Australia. Several are cultivated as 

 ornamental flowers. They exhibit the inter- 

 esting anatomical point that as the ovule 

 ripens the outer integument becomes fleshy. 



The genus Tigridia contains seven 

 species which are distributed through 

 Central America and Mexico. T. pavonia 

 is cultivated under the name of the Tiger 

 Flower. The gorgeously mottled, scarlet 

 and yellow flowers are extremely short-lived 

 and fade after eight to twelve hours. 



The genus Sisyrinchium (Fig. 1974) 

 includes about seventy-five species of 

 American origin. They are often cukivated 

 Ide" the name of Rush L.ly. They produce dainty "ower sp,kes bea. 

 ine blue white or yellow flowers. S. angusUfobmn occurs .n Arctic and 

 temperate regions and though really an American speces .s also found m 



•"^'S ;"et: ^Z:"c"s mne species of which L. for.osa is often 



Fig. 



1 974. — Sisyrinchiunt stiia- 

 tiim. Inflorescence. 



