ORDER MONOGYNIA. 201 



one of the earliest flowers of our gardens, not unfrequently 

 blossoming in the neighbourhood of a snow bank. It has a 

 bulbous root, long and narrow leaves, a spatha kind of calyx, 

 and six petals. Besides the CROCUS vernus or spring crocus, 

 which often appears even in our own climate as early as 

 March, there is, of this genus a very distinct species, the CRO- 

 CUS officinalis, or the true saffron, which appears among the 

 late flowers of autumn. The following beautiful lines, respect, 

 ing these flowers, are from the pen of the interesting Henry 

 Kirke White, whose untimely death, in the spring time of his 

 existence, has been deeply regretted, but his early and fervent 

 piety, marked him as a fit inhabitant for a purer sphere ; a 

 Christian, and philosopher, he could see an invisible hand di- 

 recting the operations of nature. 



" Say, what impels amid surrounding snow 

 Congealed, the Crocus' flamy bud to grow ? 

 Say, what retards, amid the summer's blaze, 

 The autumnal bulb, till pale declining days ? 

 The GOD OF SEASONS, whose pervading power 

 Controls the Sun, or sheds the fleecy shower : 

 He bids each flower his quickening word obey ; 

 Or to each lingering bloom, enjoins delay." 



The Iris, or Fleur-de-lis, (pronounced by a corruption of the 

 French, Flower de luce,) is the national flower of France, as 

 the Rose is of England. You will find on attentive examina- 

 tion that this is a very curious flower. It has no proper calyx, 

 but a spatha ; its corolla consists of six parts, alternately re- 

 flected, or bent back : the pistil has three stigmas, which ap- 

 pear at first view like petals. The Iris is so named from Iris, 

 the rainbow, on account of the various colours which it reflects, 

 varying from different shades of purple, into blue, orange, 

 yellow, and white. We have several native species of Iris, 

 one of which, the common Blue flag, is found in wet places. 

 The flowers are purple, streaked with yellow ; this is sometimes 

 called Poison flag. The Crocus and Iris are found in the 

 natural family of Jussieu called Iridea ; this family is in the 

 class of monocotyledons, having stamens around the germ, or 

 perigynous. Linnaeus calls the same plants, Ensatce from the 

 Latin word ensis, a sword, on account of the shape of their 

 leaves, being long, narrow and pointed. 



In what family is the Iris found ? * 



