472 Iridacea Tigridia. 



outer segments larger than the inner. The filaments of the 

 three stamens are connate in a long tube. 



1 . T. Pavonia. This is the most popular and at the same 

 time the most beautiful species. It is a native of Mexico, long- 

 since introduced into Europe. The flowers are large, from 5 to 

 6 inches across, with the three outer segments of the most 

 brilliant crimson red, and the inner ones curiously marked 

 with carmine and violet-purple upon a yellow ground. 



A second species, or rather a variety of the same, is the Yellow 

 Tiger-Flower, T. conchiflora, which differs only in having the 

 exterior petals yellow. T. violacea is a pretty little minia- 

 ture of the foregoing with the same habit and colouring on ti 

 smaller scale, and a lilac-amaranth ground. T. azurea is a 

 lovely little plant, but the flowers last only a few hours. The 

 ground colour of the outer petals here is azure-blue, and the 

 interior petals are of a bright yellow bordered with the most 

 intense blue, and yellow marbled with purple towards the 

 centre. 



8. IRIS. 



A familiar genus very numerous in species, and among the 

 most ornamental of hardy monocotyledonous plants. Herbs 

 with fleshy rhizomes, or in a few species bulbous or with 

 fibrous roots. Leaves sword-shaped or linear, often equitant. 

 Perianth-tube short, with the three outer segments reflexed, 

 often bearded at the base, and the three inner erect, generally 

 smaller than the outer. Stamens 3, inserted at the base of 

 the outer segments ; anthers turned outwards. Style trique- 

 trous, with 3 petaloid stigmas opposite the stamens. Capsule 

 3-celled, many-seeded. Natives of the northern hemisphere, 

 chiefly in temperate Europe and Asia. Name from the Latin 

 iris, the eye. The species are naturally divided into two dis- 

 tinct sections : the one with ensiform leaves and creeping 

 rhizomes or fleshy fibrous roots ; and the other with bulbous 

 roots and usually flat or incurved leaves. Amongst the ensi- 

 form group we may mention : 



1. /. Susiana. A Persian species introduced into Europe 

 towards the end of the sixteenth century. It is a gorgeous 

 plant, possessing the largest flowers in the genus, and growing 

 about 2 feet high. In this species the inner segments of the 

 perianth are the largest ; all are of a lurid grey or brown, reti- 

 culated with dark purple, and the outer ones strongly bearded. 

 Flowering in April and May. 



2. /. Germanica (fig. 229). This is the commonest of this 



