306 HAEMODOKACEAE 



equal length : appendages of the stigmas slightly toothed : capsules oval, 3-3.5 cm. long, 

 3-angled. 



In low pine lands, North Carolina to Florida. Spring and summer. 



5. Iris prismdtica Pursh. Rootstocks rather slender. Foliage bright green : stems 

 slender, 3-9 dm. tall, often zigzag, simple : leaves not overtopping the stem ; blades 

 narrowly linear, grass-like, 2-3 on the stem, the rest basal, less than 1 cm. broad : flowers 

 solitary or 2 together : perianth blue, variegated mainly with white ; tube much surpass- 

 ing the bracts ; lobes about 4 cm. long, crestless, spatulate, longer than the tube : append- 

 ages of the stigmas toothed : capsule oblong, 2.5-4 cm. long, acute at both ends, 3-angled, 

 the angles acute : seeds in one row in each cavity. [/. Virginica Muhl., not L.] 



In swamps or low grounds, New Brunswick to Pennsylvania and Georgia. Spring. BLUE GLAD- 

 IOLE. 



6. Iris Carolinikna S. Wats. Rootstocks stout. Foliage bright green : stems 5-9 

 dm. tall, simple or branched : leaves equalling or surpassing the stem ; blades linear, 

 thinnish, somewhat glaucous beneath : perianth lilac, variegated with yellow, purple and 

 brown ; tube 11-13 mm. long, broadened upward ; lobes various, the inner narrowly spatu- 

 late, nearly erect, the outer broadly spatulate, much longer, spreading or recurved, 8-10 cm. 

 long : appendages of the stigma toothed : capsules oblong, 3-5 cm. long, obtusely 3-angled : 

 seeds in 1 row in each cavity. 



In swamps, Virginia to Florida. Spring. 



7. Iris versicolor L. Rootstocks stout. Foliage somewhat glaucous : stems 8-10 

 dm. tall, simple or branched : leaves shorter than the stem, often numerous ; blades lin- 

 ear, sword-shaped, acuminate, glaucous on both sides, thickish : perianth showy, blue or 

 lilac, variagated with white, yellow or purple ; tube 10-15 mm. long, slightly dilated up- 

 ward ; lobes various, the outer mucli longer than the inner, 7-9 cm. long ; blades spatulate 

 to ovate, obtuse : appendages of the stigmas eroded : capsules oblong-prismatic, 3-4 cm. 

 long, obtusely 3-angled : seeds in 2 rows in each cavity. 



In swamps or on river banks, Newfoundland to Manitoba, Florida and Arkansas. Spring to fall. 



8. Iris hexagona Walt. Rootstocks stout. Foliage not glaucous : stems 3-9 dm. tall, 

 zigzag above, simple or sometimes branched : leaves sometimes as long as the stem : blades 

 linear, sword-shaped, attenuate, thickish c powers sessile or nearly so : perianth violet- 

 blue, variegated with white, yellow and purple ; tube usually shorter than the bracts ; 

 lobes usually 8-9 cm. long, spatulate, or blades pvate : appendages of the stigmas eroded : 

 capsules prismatic, sessile or nearly so, 2.5-3.5 cm. long : seeds in 2 rows in each cavity. 



In swamps, South Carolina to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Spring 



FAMILY 4. HAEMODORACEAE R. Br. BLOODWORT FAMILY. 



Perennial caulescent herbs, with rootstocks. Leaves alternate, often mainly 

 basal : blades narrow, somewhat elongated. Flowers perfect, in terminal spikes, 

 cymes or panicles. Perianth usually pubescent : sepals and petals 3 each, more 

 or less united, persistent. Androecium of 3 stamens opposite the petals. Fila- 

 ments slender, distinct. Anthers often narrow. Gynoecium of 3 united carpels. 

 Ovary wholly or partially 3-celled or rarely 1-celled. Styles united. Stigma 

 nearly entire or 3-ridged. Ovules few, half-anatropous. Fruit a loculicidally 

 3-valved capsule. Seeds few or rarely many. Endosperm fleshy, surrounding 

 the small embryo. 



1. GYROTHECA Salisb. 



Herbs, with short rootstocks, these like the roots, highly colored. Stems simple to 

 the inflorescence, glabrous below. Leaves mainly basal, equitant : blades narrow, elon- 

 gated, not overtopping the stem. Flowers in terminal, cymose corymbs. Perianth yel- 

 lowish, pubescent without : sepals 3, smaller than the petals. Stamens 3, surpassing the 

 perianth : filaments filiform : anthers versatile. Ovary 3-celled, inferior : styles slender, 

 declined. Ovules few in each cavity, on fleshy placentae. Capsule subglobose, 3-celled, 

 3-valved, enclosed in the persistent perianth. Seeds usually 6 in each cavity, peltate. 

 [Lachnanthes Ell.] 



1. Gyrotheca tinctoria (Walt.) Salisb. Rootstock red : stems 3-9 dm. tall, glabrous 

 below, closely pubescent and corymbosely branched above : leaf-blades linear, somewhat 

 shorter than the stem, attenuate, those on the stem gradually reduced : inflorescence woolly, 



