IKIDACE^. 143 



GENUS IV.— I R I S. Xmn. 



Perianth regular, petaloid ; tube extending beyond the ovary, short 

 or elongate, straight; limb 6-partite, the three outer segments com- 

 monly larger and reflexed, or sometimes spreading ; the three inner 

 often ascending or incurved ; all of them narrowed at the base. 

 Stamens 3, inserted on the base of the outer segments of the perianth; 

 filaments free; anthers affixed to the base. Ovary adhering to the 

 tube of the perianth, green, trigonous-prismatic; style thick, rather 

 short, trigonous, commonly adhering below to the tube of the perianth ; 

 stigmas (rather branches of the style) 3, petaloid, with a central 

 midrib, one of the segments covering each of the stamens, their 

 apex 2-lobed. Capsule subcoriaceous or parchmentlike, trigonous- 

 hexagonal-prismatic or fusiform, with six more or less acute ribs, 

 loculicidally 3-valved. Seeds numerous, flattish with a hard testa or 

 globular with a hard or fleshy testa. 



Herbs commonly with a creeping tuberous rhizome and ensiforra 

 and equitant leaves ; or with corm or cormo-tuber and tetragonal 

 leaves ; or with a bulb and semicylindrical channelled or tetragonal 

 leaves. Flowers large, brightly coloured, enclosed in herbaceous or 

 more or less scarious imbricated spathes. 



The name of this genus of plants is from 'Ip(C, the messenger of the gods — the rain- 

 bow. The species of Iiis are supposed to resemble the rainbow in their variety of 

 colours. 



SPECIES I.— IRIS FCETIDISSIMA. Linn. 



Plate MCCCCXCIV. 



Heich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. IX. Tab. CCCXLVU. 



Billot, Fl. GaU. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2929. 



Xiphion faetidissimum. Pari. Fl. Ital. Vol. HI. p. 297. 



Rhizome thick, horizontal, creeping. Stem slightly compressed, as 

 long as or a little shorter than the leaves, simple. Leaves evergreen, 

 broadly linear-ensiform, widest a little beyond the middle, subfalcate 

 or nearly straight, deep green, slightly shining. Spathes terminal 

 and lateral towards the extremity of the stem, herbaceous with 

 narrow scarious borders. Flowers 2 or 3 from the terminal spathe, 

 usually sohtary fi'om the lateral spathes. Pedicels longer than the 

 ovary when the flower is expanded, about as long as the mature 

 capsule. Free portion of the perianth tube oblong, shorter than the 

 ovary. Sepals oblanceolate, the claw broad, folded into a gutter; 



