IRIDACEAE 243 



Filaments all distinct; seeds fleshy. 2. Gemmingia. 



Filaments united; seeds dry. 3- Sisyrinchium. 



i. Iris [Tourn.] L. 



Flowers blue, variegated with yellow, white or green (rarely all white). 



Leaves 12-25 mm. broad, numerous. I. /. versicolor. 



Leaves 3-5 mm. broad, grass like; 2 or 3. 2. /. prismatica. 



Flowers bright yellow; introduced species. 3- !• Pseudacorus. 



1. I. versicolor L. In marshes, thickets and wet meadows: 



Newf. to Manit., Fla. and Ark. 



Throughout the range, except the pine-barrens, usually decreasing 

 northward. 



2. I. prismatica Pursh. In wet grounds or rarely in dry sand: 



N. B. to Pa. and Ga. 



Conn. Common in the coastal counties, decreasing and perhaps 



wanting in the interior. 

 N. Y. Common on L. I. and S. I.; Westchester Co., not recorded 



elsewhere. 

 N. J. Rare and local in Sussex, Hunterdon, Essex, Bergen and 



Union counties, increasing and common southward, particularly 



along the coast. 

 Pa. Bucks, Delaware and Chester counties. 



Tertiary, common: Cretaceous, common: Older Formations, 

 decreasing and scanty northward. 138-220 days. Sea level- 

 718 ft. 



3. I. Pseudacorus L. In marshes: Mass. to N. Y. and N. J. 



Native of Europe. 

 Locally abundant as an escape from cultivation. 



/. orientalis Mill, and /. germanica L. have both been reported as rare or occasional 

 escapes. 



2. Gemmingia Fabr. 

 1. G. chinensis (L.) Kuntze. On hillsides and along roadsides: 

 Conn, to Ga., Ind. and Mo. 



Locally abundant as an established escape. 



3. Sisyrinchium L. 



Spathes twin, sessile, terminating the winged stem. I. S. albidum. 



Spathes single. 



Stems mostly simple, with a sessile terminal spathe. 



Capsule 4-6 mm. high; leaves 2-6 mm. wide. 2. 5. angustifolium. 



Capsule 2-4 mm. high; leaves 0.8-2 mm. wide. 3. 5. mucronatum. 



