204: ORDER CXXVI. HJ2MODORACEJS BLOODWORT-FAMILY. ORDER CXXVIII. IRIDACILE IRIS-FAMILY. 



plant, not uncommon in moist, rich woods. Stem 10' 20' high. The large, 

 inflated lip is 2' long. May June. 



2. C. acaule. 



Lady's Slipper. 



Acaulescent; stem naked, 2-leaved at base, 1-flowered; leaves oval or ob- 

 long, acute, strongly veined, pubescent; flower large, bracted ; sepals oblong- 

 lanceolate, acuminate ; petals linear ; lip dependent, purple, reticulate, longer 

 than the petals, opening by a fissure on the upper side extending to the ex- 

 tremity ; middle lobe of the column rhomboidal, acuminate, deflexed. A fine, 

 showy plant, distinguished by its 2 solitary, radical leaves and naked soape, as 

 well as by its purple lip, which is 1' 2' long. Common in moist, and especially 

 in evergreen woods. Scape 6' 12' high. Varieties occur with the lip pure white. 

 May June. 



OEDEE CXXVI. Hsemodoracese. Blood- 

 wortrfamily. 



I. ALETRIS. 



Perianth tubular, rugose, mealy in appearance, 6-cleft at sum- 

 mit. Stamens 6, inserted below the lobes. Style subulate, 3-cleft 

 at apex. Capsule opening at top by 3 valves, many-seeded, in- 

 closed in the persistent perianth. 



1. A. farinosa. White Star-grass. 



Root fibrous ; scape naked, long and slender ; leaves lanceolate, thin, in a 

 flat tuft at the base of the scape; flowers oblong, tubular, white, pedicellate, in 

 along, terminal raceme; bracts subulate, minute. A common plant in sandy 

 woods and meadows, distinguished by its long raceme of white flowers, that 

 look as if meal had been sifted over them. Stem 2 3 ft. high. The root is 

 very bitter and is used in medicine. July. 



OEDEE CXXVII. Amaryllidacese. 

 A m aryllis-family. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



* Flowers more or less nodding. 



1. AMARYLLIS. Perianth irregular, with six unequal segments. Stamens de- 

 clinate. 



2. NARCISSUS. Corolla regnlar, furnished with an entire crown at throat 



3. GALANTHUS. Perianth regular, with a crown at throat, consisting of 

 8 emarginate segments. 



* * Flowers erect. 



4 HYp6xis. Perianth 6-parted, persistent Flowers in a sort of umbel, 

 yellow. Leaves grassy. , 



1. AMARYLLIS. 



Perianth 6-parted, nodding, somewhat funnel-shaped; seg- 

 ments petaloid, nearly similar, somewhat iinequal. Stamens 6, 

 inserted at the throat. Capsule 3-parted. Seeds flat, numerous. 



1. A. formosissima. 



Jacobea Lily. 



Acaulescent; scape 1-flowered; leaves linear, or narrow-oblong, thick; 

 flower large, nodding, of a brilliant dark-red ; segments very much spreading, 

 more or less recurved ; tube fringed; spathc ivd. A very showy bulbous plant, 

 frequently cultivated. The scape is about a foot high, bearing a large flower, 

 2' 8' long. June Aug. 



2. NARCISSUS. 



Perianth of 6 equal divisions, furnished with a crown at the 

 throat, consisting of a whorl of sterile stamens completely united 

 in a tube, which is funnel-form and entire Fertile stamens 6, in- 

 serted within the crown. Root bulbous. 



1. N. Jonquilla. 



Jonquille. 



Scape slender, 1 2-flowered ; leaves narrow-ensiform ; flowers large, rich 

 yellow, very fragrant, rising from a long, compressed, deciduous spathe, which 

 opens on one side; segments of the perianth spatulate, reflexed; crown shorter 

 than the segments, flat, shallow and somewhat like a saucer, spreading, crenate. 

 A very handsome species, frequent in cultivation. Scape a foot high. May- 

 June. 



2. N. po^ticus. Narcissus. 



Scape 1-flowered ; leaves linear, as long as the scape ; flower large, mostly 

 white, fragrant ; segments imbricated at base, reflexed ; crown expanded, flat, 



crenulato, whit* variegated with circles or rings of crimson and yellow; an 

 thers shorter than the tube. An elegant species, a foot high, much admired in 

 cultivation. June. 



3. N. pseudo-Narcissus. 



Daffodil. 



Scape erect, 2-edged, striate, 1-flowered ; leaves linear, striate ; flower very 

 large, sulphur-yellow ; erown very long, cup-shaped, serrate on the margin. A 

 common and showy garden plant, distinguished by its 2-edged scape, and very 

 long crown. April May. 



3. GALANTHUS. 



Flowers arising from a spathe. Perianth 6-parted, oiiter seg- 

 ments concave ; tube furnished with a crown of 3 small, emargi- 

 nate segments. 



1. Gr. nivalis. Snow-drop. 



Stem usually 2-leaved near the summit, 1-flowered j leaves linear, carinate, 

 acute ; cauline ones very long and narrow ; flower large, nodding, snow-white. 

 A very pretty little plant, 3' S' high. Common in gardens, where it blooms 

 among the earliest in April. 



4. HYP6XIS. 



Perianth persistent, 6-parted, spreading. Stamens 6. Cap- 

 sule crowned with the withered perianth, narrowed at base. 

 Seeds roundish, covered with a black, crustaceous coating. 



1. H. erecta. Star-grass. 



Hairy, acaulescent; scape 1 4-flowered; leaves linear, grassy, longer than 

 the scape; flowers in a sort of umbel, each with a minute bract at base ; seg- 

 ments hairy, yellow within, greenish without. A pretty little plant, common 

 in meadows and grassy fields. Scapes usually several from the same solid 

 bulb, 8' 6' high. June July. 



OEDEE CXXVIII. Irictacese. Iris-family. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



* Perianth with 6 unequal segments. 



1. iius. Three outer segments of the perianth reflexed, larger than the 8 

 inner, erect ones. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3, petaloid. 



2. TIOMDIA. Flower rising from a 2-leaved spathe ; 3 outer segments larger 

 than the 3 inner. Stamens 6. Filaments united in a tube. 



* * Perianth with 6 equal segments. 



8. SISYRINCHIUM. Perianth somewhat campanulate, rising from a 2-leaved 

 cauline spathe. Stamens monadelphous. 



4. CROCUS. Perianth funnel-form, arising from a radical spathe, with a very 

 long, slender tube. 



1. iRIS. 



Perianth 6-cleft, 3 outer segments more or less reflexed, larger 

 than the 3 inner, erect ones. Stamens 3, distinct, placed before 

 the 3 inner segments of the perianth. Stigmas 3, petaloid, con- 

 cealing the stamens. Capsule 3 6-angled. llhizoma creeping 

 or tuberous. 



1. I. yersicolor. 



Blue-Flag. 



Stem stout and thick, acute on one side, simple or branching; leaves ensi- 

 form, sheathing at base ; flowers beardless, large, blue, showy ; outer segments 

 of the perianth variegated with green, yellow, and white, and veined with pur- 

 ple ; inner segments scarcely as long as the petaloid stigmas, which are reflexed 

 and bifid at apex; ovary obtusely triangular, somewhat concave on the sides, 

 but becoming nearly flat A handsome plant, common in wet meadows. Stem 

 12 ft high. June. 



2. I. Virginica. 



Slender Blue Flag. 



Stem slender, round, sometimes branching; leaves long, narrow-linear; 

 flowers large, blue, showy; segments of the perianth as in the last, only nar- 

 rower and more veined with yellow ; ovary acutely 3-angled. each side with 2 

 deep grooves. A more slender species than the last, distinguished by its round 

 stem, narrow, grass-like leaves, and acutely angled ovary. It is chiefly found 

 in meadows along the coast Stem 1 2 ft. high. June. 



3. I. sambucina. 



Flower-de-Luce. 



Stem often branching, many-flowered ; leaves ensiform, involute at apex, 

 shorter than the stem ; spathe membranous at apex , flowers large, beardless, 

 usually light blue or bluish-white ; lower ones pedunculate ; segments of the 



