450 THE IRIS FAMILY. [Iris. 



each proceeding from a sheathing bract, large, erect, of a bright yellow. 

 Outer perianth-segments spreading, broadly ovate, fully 2 inches long, 

 contracted at the base into an erect, broad claw ; inner segments oblong 

 and erect, scarcely longer than the claws of the others. Petal-like 

 stigmas rather longer than the inner segments, 2 -cleft at the top, with a 

 short, scale-like appendage inside at the base of the lobes. Capsule 

 green, 2 to 3 inches long, with numerous pale-brown seeds. 



In marshes, and along watercourses throughout Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in Britain. Fl. summer. 

 [A well-marked variety, A. acoriformis, Bor., has darker-coloured sepals 

 and shorter stigmas.] 



2. I. fcetidissima, Linn. (fig. 1018). Fetid 1., Gladdon, Roastbeef- 

 plant. Not so large a plant as /. Pseudacorus, the leaves narrower, 

 1 or 2 only overtopping the stem, and the whole plant of a deeper green, 

 smelling disagreeably when bruised. Flowers rather smaller, several 

 together, of a violet-blue or rarely pale-yellowish white. Outer perianth- 

 segments narrow-ovate, the inner ones reaching to about two-thirds 

 their length. Petal-like stigmas scarcely so long. Seeds bright orange 

 or scarlet. 



In woods and shady places, in western Europe. Abundant in many 

 parts of southern England, scarce or local in the north, and only natu- 

 ralised in Scotland and Ireland. FL. summer, commencing early. 



II. GLADIOLUS. GLADIOLUS. 



Rootstock bulbous, the outer coating fibrous and more or less netted. 

 Stems leafy, with a terminal, 1 -sided spike of flowers. Perianth 

 oblique, the segments obovate or oblong, narrowed into a claw, and 

 united in a tube at the base, the 3 upper ones and the 3 lower ones 

 almost arranged in 2 lips. Stamens ascending under the uppermost 

 segments. Stigmas 2, slightly expanded, and entire. 



A numerous genus, chiefly South African, with a few species in the 

 Mediterranean and Caucasian regions. 



1. G. comxnunis, Linn. (fig. 1019). Common Q. Stem 1 to near 

 2 feet high. Leaves linear-lanceolate, shorter than the stem. Spike 

 of 4 to 6 or 8 red flowers, all turned to one side, and sessile between 

 2 lanceolate bracts. Perianth about 1 inches long, the expanded part 

 of the segments oblong-lanceolate, the uppermost one broader and 

 rather longer than the others. Anthers linear, shorter than their 

 filaments. Capsule short, depressed at the top, with 3 prominent 

 angles. 



In meadows, woods, and grassy heaths, in central and southern 

 Europe, not reaching nearer us on the Continent than the Loire and 

 the Rhine. In Britain, found in the New Forest, near Lyndhurst, 

 among the Brakes, and in the Isle of Wight, but possibly introduced. 

 FL early summer. The true Cornflag (0. segetum), a cornfield weed, is 

 a rather more southern species, differing chiefly in its larger flowers, 

 with the anthers longer than their filaments. [The British plant is 

 referable to one of the Continental varieties of 0. communis, called 

 Wyricu*, Koch,] 



