698 ORDER 143. IRIDACEJE. 



reflexed, larger than the 3 erect petals ; stamens distinct ; style short 

 or ; stigmas petaloicl, covering the stamens. Herbs from tuberous, 

 horizontal rhizomes, with ensiform Ivs., and large showy fls. 



Stems leafy, tall (1 to 8f ), mostly bearing several flowers. (*) 



* Sepals and petals beardless. Wild plants seldom cultivated, (a) 



a Leaves linear, grass-like. Ovary and pod 2-grooved on the sides No. I 



a Leaves sword-shaped. Flowers blue. Sepals much larger than petals. . .Nos. 2 4 

 a Leaves sword-shaped. Flowers tawny or copper-colored, Petals reflexed. . .No. r> 



* Sepals or perianth bearded. Cultivated exotics, (b) 



b Stem many-flowered. Flowers blue or whitish. Sepals and petals notched. .No. 6 

 b Stem many-flowered. Flowers deep blue. Spathes also colored. . I. GKRMANICA. t 



b Stem 1 -flowered, flower striped. Petals reflexed I. SCSIANA. t 



8 Stem or scape low (2 to 60 and nearly leafless, mostly 1-flowered. (**) 



** Sepals beardless, but with 3 longitudinal folds (crested) Nos. 7, 8 



** Sepals beardless, and also crestless. Flower blue No. 9 



** Sepals bearded in a longitudinal line. Flowers bright blue No. 10 



1 I. Virghiica L. BOSTON IRIS. St. round, sleuder, few-flowered; Ivs. linear, 

 long; fls. beardless; ova* triangular, the side doubly grooved. In similar situa- 

 tions with the next, readily distinguished by its very slender habit. Mass, to N. 

 J. Rhizoma fleshy. Stem smooth, 1 2" in diam., 1 2f high, branching at top 

 and bearing 2 6 flowers. Bracts at the base of the branches withering. Leaves 

 few, alternate, grass-like, 6 10' long, amplexicaul. Sepals narrow, yellow, edged 

 with purple. Petals linear-lanceolate. Jn. (I. prismatica Ph.) 



2 I. versfcolor L. COMMON BLUE FLAG. St. terete, flexuous; Ivs, ensiform; 

 fls. beardless ; petals as long as the stigmas ; ova. triangular, with concave sides and 

 roundish angles. Wet grounds, U. S. and Can. Rhizoma large, horizontal, acrid. 

 Stem 2 3f high, acute on one side, often branched, bearing several large, showy 

 flowers. Leaves a foot long, \ 1' wide, erect, sheathing at base. Sepals spatu- 

 late, purple, the claw variegated with green, yellow and white, with purple lines. 

 Petals erect, paler, a little shorter than the stigmas. Style short, bearing 3-peta- 

 loid stigmas which are bifid a,t the end, purple or violet, concealing the stamens 

 beneath. Anther oblong ; seeds flat. Jn. 



3 I. hexagona Walt. SIX-ANGLED IRIS. Lvs. sword-shaped, longer than the 

 terete, flexuous stem ; spathe 1-flowered ; sep. spatulate, rounded at end, crenu- 

 late, reflexed, much larger than the oblong-spatulate petals, with a longitudinal, 

 glandular- yellow line; filam. dilated, linear; stig, deeply 2 -cleft; ova. with 3 

 deeply furrowed angles, caps. 6-angled. Swamps and pools, N. Car. to Fla. and 

 Ala., frequent. St. 2f high. Fls. bright blue, the sepals variegated with purple, 

 yellow and white. Apr. Jn. 



4 I. tripetala Walt. TIIREE-PETALED IRIS. Lvs. linear-ensiform, shorter than 

 the terete, slender stem ; spathe lanceolate. 1-flowered ; sep. longer than tube, 

 beardless and nearly crestless, many times longer than the rudimentary, 3-toothed 



ftals ; stig. 2-toothed near the base; caps, obscurely 3-angkd, acuminate. Ponds 

 Car. and Ga. (Bachman). Rare. St. about 2f high, from a creeping rhizome. 

 Fls. purple. The petals mere rudiments, much shorter than the stigmas. Apr. 

 May. 



5 I. cftprea Ph. St. tall, flexuous, angled on one side ; Ivs. broad-ensiforni, as 

 long as the stem ; spathe often 2-flowered ; sep. obovate, emarginate, larger than 

 the petals, all reflexed ; stig. linear, dilated at base, half as long as the petals ; 

 caps, sharply 6-angled, ventricous. In river swamps, Ga, to La. (Hale). Sts. 3f 

 high, 4 to 10-flowered. Perianth tawny (Elliott), of a beautiful copper color 

 veined with purple (Pursh), limb spreading 3'. Apr., May. (Ell.), Jl. (Mi.) 



6 I. sambucina L. FLOWER-DE-LUCE. Fr. FLEUR-DE-LIS. St. many-flowered, 

 longer than the leaves ; segm. of the perianth emarginate, outer ones flat ; Ivs. 

 bent inwards at the point ; spathe membranaceoils at the apex ; fls. beardless, 

 lower ones pedunculate ; stig. with acute, serrate divisions. Xative of the south 

 of Europe. Common m gardens. The prevailing color of the flower is light 

 blue, often fading to white. May. f 



7 I. cristata Ait. CRESTED IRIS. Lvs. lanceolate-ensiform, as long as the low, 

 compressed scape ; tube of the perianth very slender (2' long), exceeding the spathe 

 or the segments; sep. oblong, obtuse, entire, each with a triple, wavy, longitudinal 

 crest or fold instead of a beard, and equaling the narrower petals; ova. acutely 3- 



