HAEMODORACEAE 317 



ORDER CVII. HAEMODORACEAE. 



Herbs, withflbrous-roots ; leaves sometimes lanceolate and stellate, often ensiform, 

 distichous and equitant; flowers perfect and regular, scurfy, or woolly, outside, 

 the tube of the 5-lobed perianth either adherent to the lower part, only, or to th 

 whole surface, of the ovary ; stamens 6, or 3 ; anthers introrse; stigmas 3 ; fruit a 

 3-celled loculicidal 3- or many-seeded capsule, crowned or inclosed by the wither- 

 ing persistent peri a nth; embryo straight, in hard or fleshy albumen. 



430. ALETTRIS, L. 



[Or. Aleiar, meal ; the flowers having a rough mealy appearance.] 

 Perianth tubular, rough externally with scurfy points, the tube 

 adherent to the base, only, of the ovary. Stamens 6, included, 

 inserted at the base of the lobes. Style subulate, finally 3-parted. 

 Stemless smooth perennials: leaves radical, stellately spreading; 

 scape simple, tall ; flowers racemose, white, or yellowish. 



1. A. r;irin v sa, L. Leaves linear-lanceolate, acuminate, thin 



and arid ; perianth whitish, ovoid-oblong, rugose-muricate and 



mealy-looking. 



MEALY ALETRIS. Star-grass. Colic-root. 



Leaves 3 to 6 inches long, pale yellowish-green. Sczpe 2 to 3 feet high, with a 

 few small remote bract-like leaves; raceme 6 to 12 inches long; pedicels very short, 

 with 1 or 2 subulate bracts at base. Capsule coated with the persistent perianth. 

 Hob. Open, moist, grassy woodlands : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. Septem. 



ORDER CVIII. IRIDACEAE. 



Herbs, with creeping rhizomas, or merely fibrous roots ; leaves distichous and 

 equitant, ensiform, or grass-like; flowers perfect, regular (or sometimes irregular), 

 with spathe-like bracts, the tube of the corolla-like perianth adherent to the 

 ocary ; stamens 3, distinct, or monadelphous ; anthers extrorse ; style single; stigmas 

 ; fruit a 3-celled loculicidal many-seeded capsule ; embryo straight, in fleshy albu- 

 tnen. The Orris-root, and Saffron, of the shops, are afforded by plants of this 

 order, the former (i. e. Orris or Iris root), being the rhizoma of Iris florentina, 

 WiUd. and the latter the dried orange-colored stigmas of Crocus sativus, L. 



431. THIS, L. 



[The varied hues of its flowers resembling those of the 7m, or rainbow.] 

 Perianth with the 3 outer lobes reflexed, and often bearded at base, 

 the 3 inner ones smaller and erect. Stamens distinct, inserted on the 

 base of the outer perianth-lobes. Stigmas dilated and petal-like, 

 arched over the stamens. Capsule coriaceous, 3- to 6-angled; seeds 

 flat, margined. Perennials : rhizoma, often large and fleshy ; leaves 

 mostly ensiform ; flowers racemose, large, purplish-blue and varie- 

 gated, the Chester County species on leafy stems, and not bearded. 



I.I. versiCOlor, L. Stem rather stout, angled on one side ; 

 leaves ensiform ; ovary obtusely 3-angled, with flat sides ; capsule 

 oblong, turgid. 

 COLOR-CHANGING IRIS. Wild Flag. 



Stem 2 to 3 feet high, rather taller than the leaves. Flowers 2 to 6 in a ter- 

 minal raceme ; lobes spatulate, the outer ones variegated with yellow at base, 

 inner ones paler. 

 Hub. Margins of ponds, and miry places : frequeni. Fl. June. Fr. 



