398 IRIDE^E. [Tins. 



spathes 2 in., acute or obtuse. Flowers 3-4 in. diam., variable in colour, 

 (pale in /. Bastar'di, Bor.) and form of the segments ; tube cylindric ; sepals 

 often purple- veined, with an orange spot near the base ; petals spathulate. 

 Stigmas yellow. Seeds much vertically compressed, faces flat, testa hard. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, Siberia. Rootstock acrid. 



J. Pseud-a'corus proper ; sepals clear yellow, claw short, blade broad, stigmas 

 long narrow. VAR. /. acorifor'mis, Bor. ; sepals with a dark yellow obic- 

 ular blade and long greenish purple-veined claw, stigmas short broad. 

 Common. 



2. I. foetidis'sima, L. ; flowers generally purple, petals \ shorter than 



the sepals. Foetid Iris, Roast-beef plant. 



Copses and hedgebanks. chiefly on limestone, from Durham southd. ; natural- 

 ized in Scotland and Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. May-July. Rootstock 

 stout, creeping. Leaves dark green, flaccid. /Scape 1-2 ft., leafy ; pedicels 

 longer than the ovary ; spathes 3-4 in., acuminate. Flowers 3 in. diam. ; 

 sepals obovate-lanceolate, blue-purple, rarely yellow; petals and stigmas 

 spathulate, yellow. Capsule 2-3 in., clavate. Seeds globose, testa fleshy 

 orange-red. DISTRIB. W. Europe to Italy. 



4. GLADI OLUS, L. 



Corms with reticulate fibrous coats. Leaves equitant, ensiform. Scape 

 tall. Flowers secund, spiked, inclined or horizontal. Perianth sub- 2- 

 labiate ; tube short, curved ; segments obovate. Stamens ascending, in- 

 serted on the perianth- tube ; anthers linear, versatile. Ovary ovoid ; style 

 filiform, stigmas 3 broad undivided. Capsule coriaceous. Seeds com- 

 pressed and winged, or globose, testa fleshy. DISTRIB. Europe, W. Asia, 

 chiefly S. African ; species 90. ETYM. gladiolus, a little sword. 



G. commu'nis, L. ; var. illyr'icus t Koch (sp. ) ; leaves glaucous, 

 spathes subequal, perianth campanulate. 



Open grounds, New Forest and I. of Wight, rare ; fl. June-July. Corm size 

 of a hazel-nut, with many bulbils at its base. Leaves 6-10 in., -| in. diam., 

 glaucous, acuminate. Scape 2-3 ft., leafy. Spike 4-8-fld. ; spathes sub- 

 equal, lanceolate, acuminate. Perianth 1-1| in., curved, crimson-purple ; 

 S upper segments spathulate ; 3 lower more obovate, paler with strong red- 

 purple veins. Stigmas spathulate, margins involute after flowering. 

 Capsule | in., clavate. Seeds narrowly winged. DISTRTB. Europe, from 

 "VV. France southd. and eastd., N. Africa. VAR. illyr'icus differs from 

 commu'nis in the more slender fibres of the corm sheath ; broader stigmas 

 not papillose on the margin throughout their length ; and narrower wing 

 of the seed. 



ORDER LXXVITI. AMARYLIiIDE'JE. 



Rootstock bulbous. Leaves radical. Scape naked. Flowers bracteate. 

 Perianth superior, regular or irregular, coloured, of 6 lobes or segments in 

 2 series, with sometimes a crown at the mouth of the tube. Stamens 6, 



