iRiDACE^. (iris family.) 499 



brous, 1 -2-flowere(l, longer than the stem ; style short; stamens included. — 

 East Florida, and westward. 



* * * Stfiins filiform, pendent: Jloioers solitary, green. 

 10. T. usneoides, L. (Long Moss.) Scurfy and hoary; stems (l°-2° 

 long) branching, spiral ; leaves 2-ranked, linear-awl-shaped, recurved ; flowers 

 small ; peduncles lateral, .shorter than the leaves, small ; sepals longer than the 

 bracts, half as long as the linear recurved green petals. — Humid situations 

 in the lower districts, Florida to North Carolina, and westward. June - 

 Sept. 



2. CATOPSIS, Griseb. 



Mostlv like Tillandsia, but the stigmas nearly ses.^ile, the stipe incurved, 

 and dissolved into flexuous hairs from the base, the pappus spreading from 

 the hilum, and the pendulous seed ending in a blunt coma. 



1. C. nutans, Griseb. Not scurfy ; stem usually nodding (2° -3° long) ; 

 leaves thin, smooth, ovate-lanceolate, attenuate, pale (10'- 1.5' long) ; calyx 

 ovate, sessile on the flexuous branches of the simple panicle, longer than the 

 ovate bracts ; sepals oblong- oval, obtuse, enclosing the white spatulate petals; 

 capsule ovate. — Miami, South Florida (Garber), mostly on low trees. 



Order 149. IRIDACE^. (Iris Family.) 



Herbs, with linear or sword-shaj)ed equitant nerved leaves, and 

 fugacious often showy flowers from a 2-leaved spathe. — Perianth 

 6-parted, the divisions spreading and equal, or the inner ones smaller, 

 convolute in the bud. Stamens 3, distinct or united : anthers ex- 

 trorse. Ovary adnate to the tube of the perianth, 3-celled ; the 

 numerous anatropous ovules fixed to the central placentae. Style 

 single-: stigmas 3. Capsule loculicidally 3-valved. Embryo in the 

 axis of fleshy albumen. 



Synopsis. 



1. iris, stigmas petal-like, covering the stamens : capsule angular. 



2. SISYRINCHIUM. stigmas filiform : capsule globular : stem flat. 



3. NEMASTYLIS. Stigmas filiform, 2-parted : stem terete. 



1. IRIS, L. Blue Flag, Flo\ver-de-Luce. 



Perianth corolla-like, 6-parted ; the exterior divisions recurved, and often 

 crested or bearded within, the interior mostly smaller and erect. Stamens 3, 

 opposite the outer divisions of the perianth, concealed by the dilated petal- 

 like 2-lipped .spreading stigmas. Style 3-angled. Capsule 3 - 6-angled. 

 Seed numerous, flattened, packed in 1 -2 row-sin the cells. — Perennial herbs, 

 with creeping or tuberous rootstocks, simple or branched stems, linear or 

 sword-shaped leaves, and showy flowers from a scarious spathe. 

 * Stems tall, leafij: divisions of the perianth uneqxud. 



1. I. versicolor, L. Stem nearly terete, simple or branched ; leaves 

 sword-sliaped ; flowers terminal, single or spiked, crestless ; periautli pale blue. 



