NAT. ORDER. IRIDK^. 46 



This name signifies rainbow, and is so called on account of its 

 variety of colors, and is the same which was known and described 

 by Pliny, nearly two thousand years ago. It is known in Eng- 

 land, and in this country, as one of the varieties of the Flower-de- 

 luce. The genus presents, according to the best accounts, about 

 seventy species, some of which are found in almost every part of 

 the globe. They greatly differ, both in size and appearance, 

 some being from three to six feet high, while others are only as 

 many inches. They are mostly perennial herbaceous plants, some 

 of which have bulbous roots. 



Propagation and Culture. The Iris pumila grows wild in 

 many parts of Hungary : it seeks open and hilly situations, and 

 flowers in the month of April : it is a hardy plant, and will thrive 

 in almost any soil or situation. It is propagated by parting its 

 roots in autumn, or by seeds. Gardeners, in former days, not hav- 

 ing that profusion of plants to cultivate and ornament their gar- 

 dens which we can at present boast, appear to have been more 

 zealous to increase generally the varieties of the several species, 

 which they were then in possession of: accordingly, we find in the 

 Paradisus terrestris of the venerable Parkinson, no less than seven 

 varieties of the Floicer-de-luce, viz. : the lesser purple dwarf Flow- 

 er-de-luce, with white blossoms ; do. one with straw-colored blos- 

 soms ; do. one with pale blue blossoms ; do. one with blush-colored 

 blossoms ; do. one with yellow variable blossoms ; and the j^urple 

 dwarf Sea Flower-de-luce of the same author, is probably no other 

 than a variety. 



Medical Properties and Uses. This plant, and nearly all its 

 varieties, are more valuable as an ornament to the flower-garden, 

 than a medicine. It was used at one time by the ancients, and 

 recommended for the cure of chronic diarrhoea, dysentery colic, 

 and pains in the bowels : its use, however, at this time, is discarded 

 from practice in medicine. This root, with many other of its spe- 

 cies, enter largely into the composition of various tooth powders. 



