deep segments, united into a tube by their narrow base; 

 the three outermost reflected, the three inner, erect, and most 

 acute. 



Nor Iris, with her glorious rainbow clothed, 

 So fulgent, as the cheerful gardens shine, 

 With their bright offspring, when they're in their bloom. 



ColumeUa. 



The Iris claims connexion with the lilies, and often 

 passes under their name, notwithstanding botanical laws. 

 The blue Iris of Persia, is the most fragrant. 



About the middle of the 12th century, Louis the 7th of 

 France, when about to undertake the second crusade, chose 

 the Iris flower for his blazon. It was, hence, called Fleur 

 de Louis, Louis' flower, and afterwards contracted to Fleur 

 de Luce, and again into Fleur-de-lis, or lily flower, although 

 it has no affinity to the lily. 



The number of Fleur-de-lis, used in emblazoning the 

 arms of France, were reduced to three, in the reign of 

 Charles the 6th, about the year 1381. 



IVY. 



Hedera. 



Ivy, E. Saxon, \fig; German, epheuj a parasitic plant 

 of the genus Hedera. Webster. 



Hedera, according to some etymologists derived from 

 Hzedus, a kid, because it was given to goats by the ancients.* 

 We are also told that it is called in the Greek Hissos, from 

 Cissos a favourite of Bacchus, whom poets fable to have been 

 transformed into this plant, and hence it became sacred to 

 that God, who is represented crowned with Vine, and Ivy 

 leaves. In Egypt it was consecrated to Osiris, which some 

 say is another name for Bacchus. 



The Ivy formed the crown of the Roman Poets. In 

 modern times, woman's love, constancy, dependence, &.C., 

 have been expressed by it. 



The Hedera helix, common European Ivy , is that so 

 celebrated for its picturesque effect upon old buildings, trees, 

 8tc., to which it attaches itself by short fibres. The whole 

 plant has a peculiar aromatic flavour. The evergreen leaves, 

 dark, with white veins, upper ones, ovate, lower, five-lobed, 

 all standing on foot-stalks. Flowers green, of many umbels, 

 forming a corymbus. Calyx very small perianth, five tooth- 

 ed. Petals five, dilated at the base, their tops incurved. 

 Berries globular, black, mealy within. 



A jolly 



Verse, crown'd with ivy and holly, 

 That tells of winter's tales and mirth, 

 That milk-maids make about the hearth. 



Robt. Herrick. 



LABURNUM. 



Cytisus Laburnum. 



Cytisus, a shrub said by Pliny, to be found in the island 

 of Cythnus, one of the Cyclades, whence its name. 



Jlinsworth. 



*The reason given why the Corf was sacrificed to Bacchus, was on ..^ 



account of the great propensity of that animal to destroy thp..f%8. - 



"' "i , s *" 



Laburnum, probably from Laborenum, fertile grounds 

 in Italy, between Puteoli and Cumse, in the road to Capua. 



The lexicographers give me no aid in the etymology of 

 this word. 



The C. Laburnum is a native of Austria, Switzerland, 

 &c. Its wood is hard and valuable. Hares and rabbits are 

 particularly fond of its leaves and bark; but its seeds are 

 said to be bitter and poisonous. The flowers yellow, papili- 

 onaceous; calyx one-leafed, bell shaped, two lipped; leaves 

 ternate; stem shrubby and thornless. 



There are several species of Cytisus one with purple 

 flowers, C. Purpureus, an elegant Austrian species, now 

 much cultivated: another, resembling the weeping Willow, 

 in its drooping boughs, &tc. 



" When the dark-leafed Laburnum's drooping clusters, 

 Reflect, athwart the stream, their yellow lustres." 



Cowper. 



And the Laburnum, with its golden strings, 



Waving in the wind. Southey. 



The pale Laburnum graced with yellow plumes. 



Anon. 



LADY'S SLIPPER. 



Cypripedium. 



Cypripedium L. from the Greek XUTT{<;, Venus, and 

 roJiov, a shoe. 



It is the most magnificent and admired genus of the Or- 

 chis family, and distinguished from all the rest by being truly 

 diandrous, (two stamens only in the same flower with the 

 pistil) as well as by its inflated bladder-like lip. 



There is only one species native of England the C. 

 Calceolus several of Siberia. Eight species have been enu- 

 merated by Swartz. The C. Spectabile, C. Parviflorum, 

 C. Jlcaule, are the three assigned to North America, in Rees' 

 Encyclopedia. 



In the neighbourhood of Baltimore, (Md.) may be found 

 the C. Pubescens, Vulgo, Noah's Ark, Yellow Mocasin flow- 

 er; and the C. Humile, Synon, C. Acaule, Vulgo, Purple 

 Mocas in flower, Lady's slipper. 



The Candidum is assigned to Pennsylvania: the Par- 

 viflorum to Virginia: the Spectabile to Canada: the Pubes- 

 cens and Calceolus are supposed, by Dr. W. Darlington, to 

 be the same. 



The flowers of this genus have a calyx two-leafed, 

 spreading, one of which is erect, the other dependent; the 

 latter often cloven. Petals two, alternate, with the calyx 

 declining, often twisted; lip large, inflated, hollow. Fila- 

 ments two, very short, inserted into the style, under two op- 

 posite lobes. Colour of the flower various purple, pink, 

 yellow, &tc. 



INDIAN LAGERSTR.ZEMIA. 



Lagerstrsemia, so called by Linnaeus in commemora- 

 tion of his friend Magnus Lagerstraem, a director of the Swe- 

 dish East India Company, member of the Royal Societies of 

 n, who communicated to him many natu- 



