IRIDACE^E. 299 



Order LXXX. IRIDACE^: (Iris Family). 



Perennial herbs, arising from rhizomas, bulbs, or corms, rare- 

 Jy with fibrous roots. Leaves equitant. Flowers often showy, 

 usually arising from a spathe. Perianth-tube adherent to the 

 ovary ; limb colored, 6-parted ; the divisions usually in 2 obvious, 

 often unequal series. Stamens 3, distinct or monadelphous, with 

 extrorse, 2-celled anthers. Ovary 3-celled. Style i. Stigmas 3, 

 dilated or petaloid. Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved, with loculicidal 

 dehiscence. 



f Perianth of unequal parts, stamens 3 Iris. 



IRIDACEjE.-j ["Leaves grass-like Sisyrinchium. 



[ Perianth of equal parts \ 



[_ Leaves not grass-like Crocus. 



I. Iris. Perianth 6-cleft, 3 outer segments reflexed, larger than 

 the 3 inner ones. Stamens 3, distinct, placed before the 3 inner seg- 

 ments of the perianth. Stigmas 3, petaloid. Capsule 3-6-angled. 

 Rhizoma creeping or tuberous. 



1. I. VERSICOLOR (Blue Flag}. Stem stout and thick, acute on one side, 

 simple or branching ; leaves sheathing at base ; flowers beardless, large, blue, 

 showy ; outer segments of the perianth variegated with green, yellow, and 

 white, and veined with purple ; ovary obtusely triangular. Common in wet 

 meadows, 1-2 feet high. June. 



2. I. GERMANICA (Flower-de-Luce). Stem often branching, many-flow- 

 ered ; leaves shorter than the stem ; spathe membranous at apex ; flowers 

 large, beardless, light blue or bluish white ; segments of the perianth emar- 

 ginate ; stigmas acute, serrate. In gardens, 1-3 feet high. May-June. 



2. Sisyrinchium. Perianth arising from a 2-parted spathe, 6- 

 parted ; segments similar, spreading. Stamens monadelphous. Stig- 

 mas 3, filiform. Capsule globose, somewhat 3-angled. 



S. BERMUDIANA (Blue-eyed Grass). Scape simple or branching, com- 

 pressed, winged, naked or i-2-leaved ; leaves narrow-linear, grass-like ; 

 spathe with 2-5 blue flowers, opening in succession ; pedicels filiform ; seg- 

 ments of the perianth obovate. In moist meadows and grassy fields, 6'-i2* 

 high. June- July. 



3. Crocus. Perianth funnel-form, with a very long, slender tube, 

 arising from a radical spathe. Stigma 3-cleft, crested ; segments con- 

 volute. 



C. VERNUS (Crocus). Flowers large, with a very long, slender tube, ses- 

 sile on the bulb ; anthers sagittate, yellow ; stigma included in the perianth, 

 with short segments ; scape triangular, rising after flowering, and bearing 

 the ovary ; leases narrow-linear, following the flowers. Garden plant. 

 March-April. 



