144 ENGLISU BOTANY. 



the lamina longer and little broader than the claw, oval, spreading 

 or slightly recurved, not bearded. Petals spreading, about three- 

 fourths the length of the sepals, and a little longer than the stigmas, 

 elli])tical-spatluilate, with narrow parallel involute claws. Capsule 

 3-celled, oblong-fusiform, bluntly-trigonous, with six foint furrows. 

 Seeds globose, with a smooth fleshy orange testa, which at last becomes 

 dry, shrivelled, and dark red. 



Var. a, genuina. 



Lamina of the sepals pale purplish-blue, with purple lines. Petals 

 lined with slaty blue. 



Var. /3, citrina. 



Flowers wholly pale lemon-yellow, without purple lines. 



In woods, by tbe borders of fields, on hedgcbanks, and on rough 

 slopes. Not uncommon, and generally distributed in the south of 

 England, especially in chalky districts ; rare in the north, extending to 

 Anglesea, York and Durham. Not native in Scotland but naturalised 

 at Ormiston, East Lothian, and near Dunfermline, Fife, llarc, and, 

 though widely distributed in Ireland, probably introduced in many 

 of its stations. The var. ^ has occurred in the Isle of Wight and in 

 Dorset. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Rootstock branched, about the thickness of a man's finger, dull 

 brown, with white flesh. Flowering stem produced from the apex 

 of the branches of the rootstock, 1 to 2 feet high, usually with a barren 

 tuft on eacli side of it. Leaves on the flowering stem shorter up- 

 wards, so that they scarcely overtop it. Flowers about .3 inches 

 across. Claws of the sepals yellowish- white with a few purple veins ; 

 lamina pale purplish-blue (at least round the mai'gins), prettily marked 

 with numerous dark purple lines. Petals pale purplish-blue, or more 

 or less tinged with lurid yellow, without darker lines. Stigmas lurid 

 yellow. Capsule about 3 inches long, slightly drooping, the valves 

 sepai'ating to the base and twisting, remaining through the winter 

 with the berry-like seeds attached to the placentas which run down 

 the middle of each valve. Plant when bruised giving out a strong 

 odour, which has been compared to roast beef or boiled milk, but 

 seems to me more like that of wet starch. 



Foetid Iris. 

 French, Trie gigot. German, Scliweriel. 



This plant is remarkable for its very peculiar scent, and has been employed in 

 mediciuo as a powerful cathartic. It is very acrid and violent in its action, and not 



