Lis.] IRIDE.E. 



273 



each witli two stigmas. Capsules inferior, coriaceous, round- 

 ish, 6-celled, many-seeded. — Name ; vhuop, water, and %apw, 

 to rejoice : being aquatic plants. Diozcia. Enneandria. 

 1. H. Morsus Rdna, Linn. Common Frog -bit. Br. Fl. 1. 

 p. 438. E. FL v. iv. p. 250. E. Bot. t. 80S. 



Ditches and bog-pits ; near Bulruddery ; bog of Curragha ; near 

 Cavan, and by the banks of the river Fergus near Ennis, &c. Fl. 

 July. %.. — Floating, and sending down from the horizontal stems, long-, 

 fibrous radicles. Leaves petioled, reniform, entire. Flowers subum- 

 bellate, arising from pellucid membranous spathas, large, white, deli- 

 cate. 



Ord. 80. IRIDEjE. Juss. Corn-Flag Family. 



Perianth petaloid, of six divisions (parted or tubular), some- 

 times irregular; with the three inner segments sometimes small, 

 deciduous. Stamens three, inserted upon the base of the outer 

 segments ; filaments distinct or connate : anthers turned out- 

 wards, fixed by the base, 2-celled, opening longitudinally. 

 Ovary 3-celled, with the cells many-seeded : style one ; stig- 

 mas three, often lamellate, or petaloid, rarely 2-lipped, some- 

 times obsoletely 3-lobed. Capsule 3-celled, 3-vaIved; the 

 valves bearing the dissepiments on their middle. Seeds fixed 

 to the internal angle of the cell, sometimes to a central, at 

 length free, columnar receptacle. Albumen horny or densely 

 fleshy. Embryo included. — Herbaceous plants, very seldom 

 under-shrubs. Roots tuberous or fibrous. Leaves equitant, dis- 

 tichous. Bractea usually spathaceous. Flowers brightly co- 

 loured. 



1. Iris. Linn. Iris or Flower de Luce. 



Perianth single, petaloid, 6-cleft, each alternate segment longer 

 and reflexed. Stigmas three, petaloid, covering the stamens. 

 — Name from the beautiful and varied colours of the flowers. 



Triandria. Monogynia. 



1. I. pseud- acorus, Linn. Yellow Water -Iris or Corn-Flag. 

 Leaves sword-shaped; perianth beardless, its inner segments 

 smaller than the stigma. Br. Fl. 1. p. 18. E. Fl. v. i. p. 48. 

 E. Bot. t. 578. 



Watery places, wet meadows and ditches, frequent. Fl. June, July. 

 %. — Flowers large, deep yellow. Root large, horizontal, very acrid. 

 "A piece of it held between the teeth is said to cure the tooth-ache, and 

 is otherwise used medicinally, and also for giving a black dye and 

 making ink. The seeds, when roasted, are recommended as a substi- 

 tute for coffee." Hooker. 



2. I. fcetidissima, Linn. Stinking Iris. Leaves sword- 



L L 



