261 



or connate; anthers bursting externally lengthwise fixed by their base, 2-celled. Ova- 

 rium 3-celled, cells many-seeded; slijle 1; stigmas 5, often petaloid, sometimes 2-lipped. 

 Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, with a loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds attached to the inner 

 angle of the cell, sometimes to a central column, becoming loose; albumen corneous, or 



densely fleshy; embryo enclosed within it Herbaceous plants, or very seldom nnder- 



shrubs, usually smooth ; the hairs, if there are any, simple. Roots tuberous or iil)rous. 

 Leaves equitant, distichous, except in Crocus. Inflorescence terminal, in spikes, corymbs, 

 or panicles, or crowded. Bractea spathaceous, the partial ones often scarious ; the sepals 

 occasionally rather herbaceous. 



Affinities. They differ from Amaryllidese essentially, in being trian- 

 drous, with the anthers turned outwards ; from Orchide-de, to which they 

 approach very nearly in some respects, in not being gynandrous, and in all 

 their anthers being distinct; from Scitamineae and Marantaceae their three 

 perfect stamens divide them, independently of the structure of the leaves, 

 which are extremely different. The Iris represents the general structure 

 of the order; but a departure from the form of perianthium found in that 

 genus takes place in the Crocus, the flower of which is extremely like that 

 of Gethyllis and Sternbergia among Amaryllidese on the one hand, and of 

 Colchicum among Melanthaceae on the other; the latter is known by its 

 superior triple ovarium. The dilated stigma found in Iris is characteristic 

 of the whole order; in Crocus it is rolled up instead of being spread open. 

 Mr. Brown observes, that Burmannia appears at first sight to agree with 

 Iridese, especially in its equitant leaves, coloured superior triandrous perian- 

 thium, and 3 dilated stigmas: it cannot, however, be united with them, on 

 account of its fertile stamens being opposite the inner segments of the peri- 

 anthium, and alternating with an equal number of sterile ones, on account of 

 the transverse dehiscence of the anthers, and also the structure of the seeds. 

 In Xyris some resemblance with this order is discoverable, especially in the 

 disposition of the leaves, the triandrous flowers, and anthers turned outwards; 

 but that genus is very distinct in its inferior perianthium, the outer segments 

 of which are glumaceous, and the inner distinctly petaloid, in the ungues 

 bearing their stamens at the apex, in their sterile alternate stamens, and 

 especially in the structure of the seed. Prodr. 302. 



Geography. Principally natives either of the Cape of Good Hope, or 

 of the middle parts of North America and Europe. A few only are found 

 within the tropics, and the order is generally far from abundant in South 

 America, if compared with the numbers that exist at the Cape. The genera 

 Marica and Morsea appear to occupy the same station in hot climates that 

 Iris, a closely related genus, does in cooler latitudes. 



Properties. More remarkable for their beautiful fugitive flowers than 

 for their utility. The rhizoma of some of them is slightly stimulating, as the 

 violet-scented Orris root, the produce of Iris Florentina. A few, such as 

 Iris tuberosa are purgative ; and Iris versicolor and verna are used as cathar- 

 tics in the United States. The substance called Saffron is the dried stigmas 

 of a Crocus; the colouring ingredient is a peculiar principle, to which the 

 name of Polychroite has been given. It possesses the remarkable properties 

 of being totally destroyed by the action of the solar rays, of colouring in 

 small quantity a large body of water, and of forming blue and green tints 

 when treated with sulphuric and nitric acid, or with sulphate of iron. Dec. 

 According to Mr. Gray, the roasted seeds of Iris pseud-acorus very nearly 

 approach Coffee in quality. Suppl. Pharmac. 237. 

 Examples. Iris, Morsea, Ixia, Gladiolus. 



