TllIAyDRTA. MONOGTXIA, 23 



gins; several species, however, have linear and almost 

 grassy foliajje. Tiie /. tuberosa has 4-sided leaves. 



Species. 1. /. cristata. i?. ha.vagona. 3. ver.Hcolov. 4. cti- 

 prea. 5. tripetala. 6 vernaP^ Root tuberous, reddish; leaves 

 radical, linear-ensiform, rig^idly conacecfus, very acute, 

 margined, dark g-reen "omevviiat spirally twisted at the 

 base, about 6 inche long; young shoots and scapes 

 sheathed with linear-lanceolate stipules of a pink red 

 colour; scape 1-flowered, nearly radical; tube of the co- 

 rolla triangular, (about 2 inches long); germ attenu- 

 ated, triquetrous; lacini?e appearing articulated upon 

 the tube; inner and outer divisions nearly equal, ob- 

 loner-obovate, pale blue, the 3 exterior marked with 

 an oblong orange-yellow maculate stripe, having a cen- 

 tral, slightly villous, raised line; stigmata linear-oblong, 

 deeply bifid. (This is certainly a distinct plant from 

 the / verna of Pursh; but agrees with JMichcmx ex- 

 cept in having, in common with the generality of this 

 genus, a tuberous, and not a simply fibrous root. 

 This species is nearly allied to the /. cristata, but 

 the flower is smaller, without the crest or beard, some- 

 what sweet-scented, and of finely contrasted colours. The 

 root, like the /. cristata, leaves a burning sensation on 

 the palate after mastication, a circumstance, however, 

 common to several other species. T-sibirica 8 pnsmatica, 

 9. *lacustri.9; flowers -without a bearded crest; leaves short, 

 ensiform; scape much shorter than the leaf, 1-flowered; 

 petals nearly equal? attenuated on the tube; capsule tur- 

 binate, 3-8ided, margined; seeds somewhat round, and 

 smooth; roots tuberous. 



Obs. Roots laterally produced to a considerable extent 

 so as to form wide and dense tufts; leaves rarely more 

 than 6 inches long, scapes generally 1-flowered and still 

 shorter flower p?le blue. 



Habitat. On the gravelly shores of the calcareous 

 islands of lake Huron, near Michilimakinak. (I have seen 

 no perfect specimens, and therefore recommend the exa- 

 mination of this plant to future botanisis.) It appears to 

 be allied to J. cristata. 



Many species of this genus have been discovered 

 at the Cape of Good-Hope, a few in Barbary, 1 or 

 2 species in China, ami as many in Japan, the rest 

 have been found in East Asia (Siberia,) Europe, and 

 North America. Not a single species has vet been 

 discovered in South America, or any other portion of the 

 southern hemisphere, except the southern promontary of 

 Africa. The species in the United States, with the excep- 

 tion of the /. rerna, (as described by Mr. Pursh) have 



