SPRING FLORA 



9. CAMASSIA. (Quamassia.) Camas. 



Leaves basal, linear, flat. Flowers pale-blue or white, 

 slightly gibbous; each with 6 3-7-nerved, spreading segments. 

 Pedicels jointed. Bracts scarious. Anthers introrse. Style 

 long and slender, its base persistent. Ovary 3-angled; be- 

 coming a loculicidal capsule, each cell of which contains 

 several black, shining seeds. 



1. C. quaimish Greene. (Quamassia quamash (Pursh) Co- 

 ville.) Perianth irregular, with 3- or 5-nerved segments; 

 flower-buds gibbous on one side. Wet meadows. May. 



IRIDACE-ffi. Iris Family. 



Herbs with equitant 2-ranked leaves. Flowers from 

 a spathe of 2 or more bracts ; usually showy. Stamens 

 3, with extrorse anthers. Style 3- cleft at apex. Ovary 

 "inferior," 3-celled, becoming a 3-lobed capsule. 



Outer perianth-segments recurved; inner erect 1. Iris 



All the perianth -segments alike 2. Sisyrinchlum 



1. IRIS. Flag; Flower-de-luce. 



Leaves from thickened horizontal rootstalks. Flowers 

 showy; solitary or in a forked corymb. Stamens distinct; 

 underneath the arched, petaloid style-branches. 



1. I. missouriensis Nutt. Stems V 2 -2 ft. high. Leaves shorter 

 than the stem. Flowers usually 2; pale blue, with segments 

 2-3 inches long. In swamps. 



2. SISYRINCHIUM. 



Stems simple or branched, flattened and 2-edged; from 

 fibrous roots. Leaves grass-like. Inflorescence umbellate, 

 from a 2-leaved spathe. Stamens monadelphous. 



1. S. angustifolium Mill. Erect or ascending, smooth, 3-14 

 in. high, the stem distinctly winged. Spathes green; floral 

 envelopes violet or rarely white. Capsules dull-brown or pur- 

 plish-tinged. Wet meadows. May-July. 



ORDER ORCHIDALES. 



ORCHIDACE^. Orchid Family. 



Perennial herbs with mostly alternate leaves. 

 Flowers usually bracted; often showy. Sepals 3, petal- 

 like. Petals 3. very irregular; the lowest one called 

 the "lip." Fertile stamens 1 or 2 ; stamens and style 

 united into a central column. Pollen usually in waxy 



