IRIS FAMILY. 421 



spike of bright crimson-red flowers 2' across, the ovate acute lobes all 

 alike and widely spreadini? from a narrow tube ; the slender style deeply 

 cleft (whence the name) into 3 thread-like branches. S. Africa. 



8. IXIA. (Greek for birdlime, referrino; to the claniuiy juice of some 

 species. ) Cape of Good Hope. 



» Perianth tube short and cylindrical. 



■^ Filaments distinct. 

 ++ Flowers with a black-purple throat. 



I. macu/ata, Linn. (I. conica.) Stem terete and slender, sometimes 

 branched, 1^-2° high ; tiower.s many in dense erect spikes ; perianth tube 

 twice longer than spathe, the bell-form limb yellow and an inch or less 

 long. 



/. viridiflora, Lam. Stem long and .slender (U°-.S°), simple; flowers 

 many in a long spike ; perianth tube little longer than the .sijathe, the 

 limb pale green. 



/. hybrida, Ker. A foot high, slender, the raceme flexuose and many- 

 flowered ; flowers white, with a tinge of pink, small. 



++ ++ Flowers loith no marking in the throat. 



I. patens, Ait. Stem terete, 12'-20' high, often branched ; flowers 

 many in rather dense spikes, the bell-form limb jjale red ; perianth tube 

 little longer than the spathe ; radical or basal leaves usually 4. 



/. speciosa, Andr. (I. ckateroides.) Stem slender and terete, com- 

 monly simple, ()'-15' high ; flowers few in an erect spike, the tube little 

 longer than the spathe, and the limb dark crimson ; basal leaves 5 or 6. 



-t- ■>- Filaments more or less united. 



I. monadelpba, Delar. Stem 10'-20' high, slender, simple or branched ; 

 flowers few in a short spike, the tube often twice as long as the spathe, 

 the limb lilac, throat greenish or blue. There are varieties with purplish 

 flowers (var. puepueka), with yellow and black-blotched flowers (var. 



VEKSfCOLOE), etc. 



* * Perianth tube dilated into funnel-shape at the top. 



I. odorafa, Ker. (I. erecta.) Stem slender and terete, branched; 

 flow(>rs fragrant, in a short spike, yellow. 



9. FREESIA. (Derivation unknown.) Topular plants for forcing, 

 from Cape of Good Hope. 



F. refrdcta, Klatt. Stems .slender, often branched, 12'-2n' high, the 

 flowers at its top in a slender secund, nearly horizontal raceme ; "flowers 

 white mai-ked by violet lines or yellowish, or pure white (var. Ai.ba), 2'- 

 3' long, very fragi'ant, gradually narrowed into a very slender tube, the 

 lobes spreading ; leaves flat. 



F. Leichtlinii, Klatt, perhaps a form of the above, has pale yellow 

 flowers which are abruptly narrowed into a short tube, the lobes more 

 erect. 



10. BABIANA. (Said to come from the Dutch word for baboon, 

 because the bulbs are eaten by that animal.) Cape of Good Hope. 



* Perianth nearly rotate. 



B. strlcta, Ker. (R. punpfjREA.) Stem 12'-20' high; basal leaves 

 ensiform and hairy, not reachuig the spikes, the latter 1-3, moderately 



