318 FLAG. 



furnished with many thick, cylindrical, descending fibres. The 

 stem is erect, nearly cylindrical, rather zig-zag at the summit, 

 smooth, three to four feet in height. The leaves which spring 

 from the root are long, upright, plane, broadly ensiform, striated, 

 acute, smooth, equitant at the base ; cauline ones shorter, alter- 

 nate, sheathing, of a deep green colour. The flowers are large, 

 showy, deep yellow, situated towards the summit of the stem, 

 on short alternate peduncles, with two or three membranous 

 bracteae at the base. The perianth (calyx) consists of six seg- 

 ments or pieces, resembling petals, of which the three inner 

 ones are smaller and erect, the three outermost are large, round- 

 ish-ovate, reflexed, and marked near the base with purplish lines, 

 not bearded. The three stamens are furnished witti flat, taper- 

 ing stigmas and oblong, brownish purple anthers, bent down by 

 the stigmas. The germen is inferior, oblong, three-sided, with 

 a very short style, and three large, yellow, obtuse stigmas, re- 

 sembling petals, bipartite, and irregularly serrate. The capsule 

 is triangular, three-celled, three-valved, containing numerous 

 large rounded seeds. Plate 19, fig. 3, (a) pistil and stamens; 

 (b) ripe capsules, one of which is opened ; (c) seed. 



This plant is very frequent in marshy places, wet meadows, 

 woods, and by the sides of lakes, growing in extensive patches 

 in the Hebrides and the North of Scotland. It is indigenous to 

 Europe from Italy and Lapland. It flowei-s in June and July. 



The generic name was given by the ancients to this assem- 

 blage of plants, on account of their beautiful and varied colours ; 

 according to Plutarch, from a word in the ancient Egyptian 

 tongue, which signified eye ; the eye of heaven. The species 

 here described has the English vernacular names of Yellow Flag, 

 Water Flag, Bastard Fleur-de-Luce, and in the North, Seggs. 



About one hundred species of Iris have been described. 

 Many of them are very ornaniental, especially Iris tuherosa and 

 Iris xiphioides. The roots of Iris Jlorentina are known in the shops 

 by the name of orrice-root. There are but two British species, 

 the one here described and the Stinking Iris, {Iris foetidissima,) 

 v.hose flowers are much smaller than the last, and of a dull livid 

 purple ; the leaves when bruised have a strong smell, hence it 

 is called Roust-heef -plant in some of the southern and western 

 counties, where it is very common. It flowers in May, in woods 

 and pastures. 



