(598 Okdkb 143.— IRIDACE.4E. 



reflexed, larger than the 3 erect petals ; stamens distinct ; style short 

 or ; stigmas petaloid, covering the stamens. — Herbs from tuberous, 

 horizontal rhizomes, with ensiform lvs., and large showy fls. 



§ Stems leafy, tall (1 to 3f ), mostly bearing several flowers. (*) 



* Sepals and petals beardless. "Wild plants seldom cultivated, (a) 



a Leaves linear, grass-like. Ovary and pod 2-grooved on the sides No. 1 



a Leaves sword-shaped. Flowers blue. Sepals much larger than petals... Nos. 2—4 

 a Leaves sword-shaped. Flowers tawny or copper-colored, Petals reflexed... No. 6 



* Sepals or perianth bearded. Cultivated exotics, (b) 



b Stem many-flowered. Flowers blue or whitish. Sepals and petals notched. .No. 6 

 b Stem many-flowered. Flowers deep blue. Spathes also colored..! Germanica. t 



b Stem 1 -flowered, flower striped. Petals reflexed I. Susiana. t 



§ Stem or scape low (2 to 60 and nearly leafless, mostly 1-flowered. (**) 



** Sepals beardless, but with 3 longitudinal folds (crested) Nos. 7, 8 



** Sepals beardless, and also crestless. Flower blue No. 9 



** Sepals bearded in a longitudinal line. Flowers bright blue No. 10 



1 I. Virginica L. Boston Iris. St. round, slender, few-flowered; lvs. linear, 

 long; fls. beardless; ova. triangular, the side doubly grooved. — In similar situa* 

 tions with the next, readily distinguished by its very slender habit. Mass. to N. 

 J. Rhizoma fleshy. Stem smooth, 1 — 2" in diam., 1 — 2f high, branching at top 

 and bearing 2 — 6 flowers. Bracts at the base of the branches withering. Leave* 

 few, alternate, grass-like, 6 — 10' long, amplexicaul. Sepals narrow, yellow, edged 

 with purple. Petals linear-lanceolate. Jn. (I. prismatica Ph.) 



2 I. versicolor L. Coimox Blue Flag. St terete, flexuous; lvs. ensiform; 

 fls. beardless ; petals as long as the stigmas ; ova. triangular, with concave sides and 

 roundish angles. — "Wet grounds, U. S. and Can. Rhizoma large, horizontal, acrid. 

 Stem 2 — 3f high, acute on one side, often branched, bearing several large, showy 

 flowers. Leaves a foot long, ^ — 1' wide, erect, sheathing at base. Sepals spatu- 

 late, purple, the claw vtriegated with green, yellow and white, with purple lines. 

 Petals erect, paler, a little shorter than the stigmas. Style short, bearing 3-peta- 

 loid stigmas which are bifid at the end, purple or violet, concealing the stamens 

 beneath. Anther oblong ; seeds flat. Jn. 



3 I. hexagona "Walt. Six-angled Iris. Lvs. sword-shaped, longer than the 

 terete, flexuous stem ; spathe 1-flowered ; sep. spatulate, rounded at end, crenu- 

 late, reflexed, much larger than the oblong-spatulato petals, with a longitudinal, 

 glandular-yellow line; filam. dilated, linear; stig, deeply 2-cleft; ova. with 3 

 deeply furrowed angles, cap>s. G-angled. — Swamps and pools, N. Car. to Fla. and 

 Ala., frequent. St. 2f high. Fls. bright blue, the sepals variegated with purple, 

 yellow and white. Apr. — Jn. 



4 I. tripetala Walt. Tiiree-petaled Iris. Lvs. linear-ensiform, shorter than 

 the terete, slender stem; spathe lanceolate, 1-flowered; sep. longer than tube, 

 beardless and nearly crestless, mayiy times longer than the rudimentary, 3-toothed 

 petals ; stig. 2-toothed near the base; caps, obscurely Z-angled, acuminate. — Ponds 

 S. Car. and Ca. (Bachman). Rare. St. about 2f high, from a creeping rhizome. 

 Fls. purplo. Tho petals mero rudiments, much shorter than the stigmas. Apr. 

 May. 



5 I. cuprea Ph. St. tall, flexuous, angled on one sido ; lvs. broad-ensiform, as 

 long as tho stem; spathe often 2-flowered; sep. obovate, emarginate, larger than 

 tho petals, all reflexed; stig. linear, dilated at base, half as long as the petals; 

 caps, sharply G-angled, ventricous. — In river swamps, Ga. to La. (Hale). Sts. 3f 

 high, 4 to 10-flowered. Perianth tawny (Elliott), of a beautiful copper color 

 veined with purple (Pursh), limb spreading 3'. Apr., May. (Ell.), Jl. (Ph.) 



6 I. sambucina L. Flower-de-Luce. Fr. Fleur-de-lis. St. many-flowered, 

 longer than tho leaves ; segm. of the perianth emarginate, outer ones flat ; lva. 

 bent inwards at the point ; spathe membranaceous at tho apex ; fls. beardless, 

 lower ones pedunculate ; stig. with acme, serrate divisions. — Native of the south 

 of Europe. Common in gardens. The prevailing color of tho flower is light 

 bine, often fading to white. May. f 

 7 I. cristata Ait. Crested Iris. Lvs. lanceolate-ensiform, as long as the low, 

 compressed scape ; tube of the perianth very slender (2' long), exceeding Vic spathe 

 or the segments ; sep. oblong, obtuse, entire, each with a triple, wavy, I'/ngitudinai 

 crest or fold instead of a beard, and equaling tho narrower petals; ova. acutely 9~ 



