700 ORDER 144. DIOSCOREACE.E. 



5. I XI A, L. (Gr. fof, sticky ; from the glutinous juice.) Spathe 

 of 2 or 3 ovate, short bracts ; petals and sepals distinct or slightly 

 united, similar, regular, spreading, tube straight, adherent, ; stamens 3 ; 

 filaments and style filiform, straight, often connate ; ovary 3-celled. A 

 large genus, chiefly from S. Africa. Lvs. cnsiform. 



1 I. celestina Bartram. Lvs. linear-subulate, many times shorter than the I- 

 Howered scape (Linn. Ell.). Borders of swamps, Ga. and Fla. (Bartram) ; rare. 

 Wo have a single flower without stem, Ivs. or fruit, gathered in E. Fla. by Prof. 

 Loomis, and sent us by Dr. Feay. It is of a bright purplish blue, spreading 2'. 

 Segm. about equal, oval, obtuse, united into a tube 4" in length. Stamens arid 

 style apparently distinct, G" long. 



2 I. (PARDANTHUS) Chinensis L. Lvs. ensiform, vertical, sheathing shorter 

 than the tall, terete, flexuous stem ; panicle somewhat dichotomous and corym- 

 bous ; perianth broad-campanulate, segm. distinct down to the top of the ovary, 

 oblong, twisting after flowering; capsule ovoid, the valves deciduous, seeds black, 

 roundish, shining, attached'to the central column, and resembling a large black- 

 berry. Plentifully naturalized oa the bluffs at Merom, Ind. St. 3f high. Fla. 

 orange, spotted. Jn. ) 



6. CR(TCUS, L. (Named from the youth Crocus, who according to 

 Grecian mythology, was changed into this flower.) Perianth funnel- 

 form, the segments united at base into a long and slender tube ; stigma 

 3-cleft, convolute, crested. Spathe radical, 1 2-leaved, thin, transpa- 

 rent. The long tube of the flower nearly or quite sessile upon the 

 bulb. After flowering, the ovary arises from the ground by tlie growth 

 of the scape, to ripen its seeds in the sun. 



1 C. sativus L. SAFFRON. FALL CROCUS. Lv.=. linear, revolute at the mar- 

 gins ; stitj. 3-parted, as long as the corolla, reflexed. Leaves radical, with a longi- 

 tudinal, white furrow above. Flower with a long, white tube, and purple, ellip- 

 tical segments. Stigmas long, emarginate, exsert, of a deep orange-color. Its 

 virtue?, both medicinal and coloring, reside chiefly in the large stigmas. Sept. 

 A variety, perhaps the most common, has yellow perianths. ^ Asia. 



2 C. vernus L. SPRING CROCUS. Stig. included within the flower, with 3 

 short, wedge-shaped segments. Scape an inch or two high, 3-sided. Flowers 

 vary in color, generally purple, often yellow or white ; tube very long, slender, 

 gradually enlarged upwards, closed at the mouth with a circle of hairs, limb cam- 

 panulate, much shorter than the tube. Anth. yellow, sagittate. Mar., Apr. f Eur. 



7. GLADTOLUS, L. CORN-FLAG. (Lat. gladius, a sword ; in refer- 

 ence to the form of the leaves.) Spathe 2-leaved; perianth irregular, 

 0- parted, somewhat 2-lipped ; stamens 3, distinct, ascending; stigmas 3. 

 broader above ; seeds winged. A large genus of bulbous plants, none 

 native. Fls. showy. 



G. commuiiis L. Spike unilateral ; upper petal the (upper lip) covered by 

 the lateral sepals, the lower sepals largest ; tube longer than the ovary. A fine 

 showy flowerer in gardens. St. 2 to 3f high, with the large, rosy purple fls. ar- 

 ranged in a long, somewhat spiral row upon it. The 3 lower segments are marked 

 by a white stripe. Color variable, f S. Europe. 



ORDER CXLIV. DIOSCOREACEJE. YAM RQOTS. 



Plants shrubby, twining, arising from the tuberous rhizomes, with broad net-veined 

 leaves. Flowers dioecious, regular, hexandrous, tube adherent, limb G-partcd. Ovary 

 3-celled, 3 to G-ovuled, 3-styled. 6 Stamens 6, perigynous. Fruit a capsule 3 or 

 (by abortion) 1-celled, or a berry. Seeds compressed, albuminous. 



