i 



Marsh. 



is a bed of the yellow flag or Iris, as it is scientifically called. 

 True, this particular species does not exhibit in its flowers 

 any of the many-hued, varying changes of tint that the 

 latter name suggests, but some of its relations are of the 

 brightest tints, and in their purple hues vie even with the 

 brilliancy of the rainbow. To the same family of flowers 

 belong the crocus and the beautiful gladiolus, one of the 

 gardener's pet creations. The wild flag has a flower of sim- 

 ple yellow tint, as its common name indicates, but its flower 

 is nevertheless remarkable and worthy of attention. 



If you will examine the flower you will note that the 

 perianth consists of two whorls (or rings) of yellow leaves 

 surrounding the stamens ; there are three in each whorl, 

 those representing the calyx being larger and more striking 

 than those which represent the corolla. The former are 

 reflexed or bent back ; the latter, which take the place of 

 petals, are placed alternately between those representing the 

 sepals, so that they leave a space on either side of the 

 central line of each sepal. From the bottom of each of the 

 three sepals a stamen rises, and these, with their long 

 filaments, are also rather deflexed, and fall just above the 

 central line of the sepal. The bases of the sepals are 

 rounded into nectaries. The most wonderful developmental 

 structure in the flower is the stigma or upper part of the 

 pistil. Instead of being rounded, or divided into filaments, 

 as is the case in so many flowers, you will observe that it 

 forms three long petaloid structures which also are deflexed, 

 and bend over the stamen, reaching the sepals, and thus 

 forming a sort of arch, under which the stamen rests secure. 



Although the structure of the flower is thus complex 

 enough, the method of fertilisation is very simple. A large 



