506 



racter has not as yet received sufficient attention, but 

 ought to be noticed in future, as it may throw great light 

 on the distribution of the family of plants in question. Very 

 few indeed are furnished with setaceous leaves." 



Order 5. Tripetaloideje. " Scheuchzer and other 

 authors have referred J uncus and its allies to Grasses, 

 under the title of Graminibus affines. In truth, they are 

 so similar to grasses, as scarcely to be distinguishable 

 without fructification. The genera are J uncus, Apht/llan- 

 thes, Triglochin, Scheuchzeria, E/egia and Restio in the 

 first place, then Flagellaria, Calamus, Butomus, Alisma 

 and Sagittaria." Linnaeus, in his manuscript, has hinted, 

 that the three latter may possibly belong to the above- 

 mentioned section at the end of his Palmes; see Ord. 1. 



Order 6. Ensatje. "So called from the form of their 

 leaves, resembling a sword, being perfectly simple, almost 

 linear, alternate, mostly converging by the margins, often 

 cloven longitudinally, so that the edge of one leaf embraces 

 the other, thus constituting what is termed equitant fo- 

 liage. The root in many cases is oblong and fleshy, lying- 

 flat on the ground, or creeping. But some species of Iris 

 are truly bulbous, like Crocus, Ixia, Antholyza, Sec. Stem, 

 in these genera, simple, erect, zig-zag; but in Commelina, 

 especially the annual kinds, it is branched, as in Trade- 

 scantia. Crocus and Bulbocodium have no stems. Leaves 

 usually sword-shaped ; very rarely quadrangular ; in the 

 bulbous species of Iris involute ; in not a few Commelina 

 ovate ; in Xyris and various kinds of Eriocaulon awl- 

 shaped. Fulcra, or appendages, are scarcely to be found 

 in this order. The calyx is a spalha, though but of 

 a spurious kind, being mostly a large concave valve, re- 

 sembling a halved sheath in Iris ; most beautiful in Com- 

 melina, where it is heart-shaped. In Sisyrinchium how- 

 ever this part is more perfectly bivalve. Corolla generally 

 of six petals ; though in Iris so united by their claws, as 

 to constitute a monopetalous corolla. In Commelina and 

 Tradescantia the petals are very distinct, but the three 



