IRIDACEAE (iris FAMILY) 301 



9. I. cristata Ait. (Crested Dwarf Iris.) Leaves lanceolate (1-2 dm. 

 long when grown, 1-2 cm. broad); those of the spathe ovate-lanceolate^ shorter 

 than the thread-like tube, which is 4-5 cm. long and mnch longer than the light- 

 blue obovate short-clawed sepals and petals ; sepals crested but beardless ; cap- 

 sule sharply triangular. — Rich woods, Md. to Ga., locally w. to O., Ind., and 

 Mo. Apr.. May. — Flowers fragrant. 



10. I. lacustris Nutt. (Lake Dwarf Iris.) Tube rather shorter than the 

 sepals and petals (yellowish, 1-2 cm. long), dilated upward., not exceeding the 

 spathe ; otherwise as in the last, and too near it. — Gravelly shores of Lakes 

 Huron, Michigan, and Superior. May. 



2. NEMASTYLIS Nutt. 



Sepals and petals similar and nearly equal, spreading. Style short, its slen- 

 der 2-parted branches exserted between the anthers ; stigmas minute, terminal. 

 Capsule obovoid, truncate, dehiscent at the summit. Seeds globose or angled. 

 — Stems terete, with few plicate leaves, and few fugacious flowers from 2-bracted 

 spathes. (Name from vrnxa, a thread., and <ttv\Ls, style, for the slender style- 

 branches.) 



1. N. acuta (Bart.) Herb. Stem 1-6 dm. high ; spathes 2-flowered ; flowers 

 pale blue-purple, 4-7 cm. broad, the divisions oblong-obovate ; capsule 1-1.3 cm. 

 long. (N. geminiflora Nutt.) — Prairies and barrens, Mo. to Tenn., La., and 

 Tex. Apr. -June. 



3. BELAMCANDA Adans. Blackberry Lilt 



Sepals and petals widely and equally spreading, all nearly alike, oblong with 

 a narrowed base, naked. Stamens monadelphous only at base ; anthers oblong. 

 Style club-shaped, 3-cleft. Capsule pear-shaped ; the valves at length falling 

 away, leaving the central column covered with the globose black and fleshy- 

 coated seeds, imitating a blackberry (whence the popular name). — Perennial, 

 with rootstocks, foliage, etc., of an Iris; the branching stems (0.5-1 m. high) 

 loosely many-flowered ; the orange-yellow flower mottled with crimson-purple 

 spots. (An East Indian name for the species.) Gemmixgia Fabricius. 



1. B. chinexsis (L.) DC. — Roadside thickets, open woods, etc., near 

 towns, Ct. to Kan, and Ga. ; common southw. June, July. (Nat. from Asia.) 



4. SISYRINCHIUM L. Blue-eyed Grass 



Sepals and petals (perianth) alike, spreading. Capsule globular, 3-angled. 

 Seeds globular. — Low slender perennials, with fibrous roots, grassy or lanceo- 

 late leaves, 2-edged or winged stems, and fugacious umbeled-clustered small 

 flowers from a usually 2-leaved spathe. (A meaningless name, of Greek origin.) 



a. Spathes sessile and terminal b. 

 b. Spathes 2, with a single outer leaf-like bract. 



Stems subterete, scarcely wing-margined ; filaments free above 



anthers 4.5 mm. long 



Stems flattened, distinctly wing-margined ; filaments united to the 

 summit ; anthers at most 2.5 mm. long .... 

 b. Spathes solitary. 



Flowers 3'ellow 



Flowers blue, violet, or white. 

 Outer elongate bract with the margins free to the base ; cap 



sules pale 



Outer bract with the margins united above the base. 



Pedicels loosely spreading, much exceeding the inner bract 



capsules 2-4 mm. high 



Pedicels suberect, scarcely exceeding the inner bract ; cap 

 sules 4-6 mm. high. 



Capsules drab or dull brown 



Capsules whitish-green or straw-color " . 



1. S. hastile. 



2. S. alhidum. 



3. S.flaviflorum. 



4. S. campestre. 



5. S. mucronatum. 



6. S. angusii/olium 



7. S. montanum. 



