YELLOW FLAG 137 



The stigma forms a flap on the outer side, just over the anther, with 

 a point below the stigmatic lamella. An insect seeking honey pushes 

 its way between the outer perianth-segments and the style, the anther 

 being between. It must rub its back against the anther, which opens 

 outwards. In returning from its honey quest it does not touch the 

 stigmatic surface of the stigma which is above, but does this on 

 entering already dusted with pollen from a previous flower. 



The Yellow Flag is visited by Bombus, Osmia, Honey-bees, and 

 a fly, Rhingia rostrata. 



The capsule opens above, and allows the smooth flattened seeds, 

 when blown by the wind, to fall some distance away. 



Yellow Flag is a peat-loving plant, growing in a peat soil, or 

 pelophilous on a clay soil. 



The fungi Puccinia iridis, Uredo iridis, attack the Yellow Flag. 

 Several beetles are found on it, Aphthona non-striata, A. ponderosa, 

 Mononychns, and two Lepicloptera, the Crescent (Apamea fibrosa), the 

 Double-lobecl (A. ophiogramma]. 



Iris, Theophrastus, is the Greek for rainbow. Pseudacorus, 

 Linnaeus, is Greek for false acorus, Acorus being the generic name of 

 the Sweet Flag or Galingale. 



There are many English names, e.g. Butter-and-Eggs, Cegge, 

 Cheiper, Cucumbers, Daggers, Dragon-flower, Flag, Water or Yellow 

 Flag, Flaggan, Flagons, Fliggers, Yellow Flower-de-luce, Jacob's 

 Sword, Laister, Laver, Levers, Livers, Lug, Maiken, Meklin, Yellow 

 Saggan, Sedge, Seag, Seggs, Water Seg, Seggin, Shakier, Skeg, 

 Sword Flag, Water Lily. It is called Cheiper, " because children 

 make a shrill noise with its leaves ". The name Cucumbers refers 

 to the seed-vessels, which when green resemble young cucumbers. 

 Fliggers was applied to it from the motion of its leaves by the slightest 

 impulse of the air. As to the name Flower-de-luce, Shakespeare 



writes: 



"Awake, awake, English nobility! 

 Let not sloth dim your honours new-begot. 

 Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms; 

 Of England's coat one half is cut away." 



Spenser also includes it: 



" Show me the grounde with daffadowndillies 

 And cowslips, and kingcups, and loved lillies, 

 The pretie pawnee 

 And the chevisaunce 

 Shall march with the fay re flowre delice ", 



