362 IRIDEJE. [Tuiciioxr.MA. 



ORDER III. I'RIDEJE. 



Perennial herbs ; rootstock tuberous, bulbous, or creeping, or a corm. 

 Leaves often equitant and ensiform. Flowers regular or not, curln^nl 

 in 2 spathaceous bracts. Perianth superior, petaloid, of 6 imbricate seg- 

 ments in 2 series, often twisted and persistent after flowering. Stamens 3, 

 epigynous or inserted on the outer perianth-segments ; anthers usually 

 narrow, bursting outwards. Ovary 3-celled ; style simple, stigmas 3 often 

 dilated simple or divided ; ovules very many, anatropous, in the inner 

 angles of the cells. Capsule 3-gonous, 3-celled, loculicidally 3-valvnl. 

 Seeds many, testa coriaceous or thin, raphe separable, albumen horny or 

 fleshy ; embryo terete, short, cylindric. DISTRIB. Chiefly extra-tropical ; 

 genera about 50, and species 500. AFFINITIES. With Amaryllideas and 

 Orchidece. PROPERTIES. Purgative and diuretic. 

 Segments of perianth nearly equal. 



Perianth- tube short. Stigmas 3, 2-partite 1 . Trichonema. 



Perianth-tube short. Stigmas 3, entire 1*. >'/._/// //,-/,/, /,. 



Perianth-tube long. Stigmas 3, cleft 2. Crocus. 



Segments of perianth unequal. 



Perianth regular 3. Iris. 



Perianth irregular and oblique 4. Gladiolus. 



1. TRICHONE MA, Ker. 



C&rm sheathed. Leaves radical, slender, linear. Scape simple or branched. 

 Perianth regular; tube very short; segments equal, suberect, tips recurved. 

 Stamens on the. throat of the perianth, filaments free, hairy ; anthers 

 basitixed. Ovary short, 3-gonous ; stigmas linear 2-cleft. Capsule ovoid, 

 3-lobed. Seeds subglobose, testa coriaceous. DISTRIB. Chiefly S. Africa ; 

 species 21. ETYM. 0ptx and vij.ua, from the hairy filaments. 



1. T. Colum'nse, Reich. ; leaves wiry. T. Bulbocodium, Sm. not L. 

 Sandy pastures, Dawlish, Jersey, Guernsey ; fl. March-May. Corm size of a 

 pea, ovoid ; sheaths brown, shining. Leaves 2-4 in., recurved, subcylinclric, 

 grooved above, ticape very short, 1-3-flowered ; spathe longer than the 

 perianth-tube; pedicels curved in fruit. Perianth-segments J-i in., subacute, 

 greenish outside, whitish inside with purple veins and yellow base. C'c/<.<"/ 

 small. DISTRIB. W. Europe from France southwards, Mediterranean shores. 



1*. SISYRIN'CHIVM, L. BLUE-EYED GRASS. 



Root of rigid fibres. Leaves radical, linear, equitant. Scape usually 

 2-edged. Flowers umbellate. Perianth regular, tube very short; seg- 

 ments equal, spreading or suberect. Stamens on the throat ot the. 

 perianth, free or connate at the base ; anthers basifixed. Ovary short, 

 3-gonous ; style short, stigmas 3 filiform involute. Capsule subglobose, 

 coriaceous. Seeds subglobose or angled, testa hard. DISTRIB. N. and S. 

 America ; species 42. ETYM. Obscure. 



S. BERMUDIA'NU M, L. ; bracts subequal. S. anceps, Bab. not Lamk. 

 Bogs, Woodford in Galway ; fl. July- Aug. Leaves 3-5 in., Jin. broad, enri- 

 form. Scape 6-18 in., flattened, wing narrow. Bracts shorter than the 

 1-4 flowers, which are $ in. diam. Pna*tk-*effm> >,/* !>lue inside, obcordate, 

 retuse, mucrouate. DISTRIB. Arctic and temp. N. America, Bermudas. 



