IEIDACE.«!. 2b5 



5. C. fiCaTl'Ie, Ait. (Stemless L.) Scape naked, 2-leaved 

 ai tTie iflisK, 1-flowered. Lip roae-purple, split down the whole 

 length in front, veiny. Sepals and petals greenish. — Dry or 

 moist woods, under evergreens. 



Order CI. IRIDA'CE^. (Iris Pamilt.) 



Herbs with eqnitant leaves and perfect flowers. The 6 

 petal-like divisions of the perianth in 2 (similar or dissimi- 

 lar) sets of 3 each ; the tube adherent to the 3-celled ovary. 

 Stamens 3, distinct or monadelphous, opposite the 3 stigmas, 

 and with anthers extrorse, that 19, on the outside of the fila- 

 ments, facing the divisions of the perianth and opening on 

 that side. !F lowers from leafy bracts. (See Part I. , sections 

 88 and 89.) 



Syuopsls of the Genera. 



1. Irts. The 3 outer divisions of the perianth reflexed, the 3 inner erect 



and smaller. Stamens distinct, the anther of each concealed 

 under a flat and petal-like arcTiing stigma. The styles helow 

 adherent to the tube of the perianth. Pod 3-angled. Flowers 

 blue, large and showy. Leaves sword-shaped or grass-like. 



2. Sisyriu'chliim. The 6 divisions of the neriimth alike, spreading. 



Stamens raonadelphous. Stigmas thread-like. Pod globular, 3- 

 angled. Stems 2-edged. Leaves grass-like. Flowers blue, clus- 

 tered, from 2 leafy bracts. Plants low and slender. 



1. IRIS, L. FLOWER-DE-LnCB. 



1. I. vePSic'OlOF, L. (Larger Blue Flag.) Stem stout 

 and leafy, from a thickened rootstock. Leaves sword-shaped, 

 Flowers violet-blue, 2 or 3 inches long. Inner petals much 

 smaller than the outer. — Wet places. 



2. I. prismat'iea, Pursh. (Slender Blub Flag.) Dis- 

 tinguished from the last by its very slender stem and nar- 

 rowly linear leaves. Tube of the flower very short. — Atl. 

 sea-coast. 



3. I. laeus'tris, Nutt. (Lake Dwarp Iris.) Stem low, 

 3-6 inches high. Inner petals nearly equal to the outer. 

 Tube of the perianth slender, less than an inch long, dilated 

 B-pwards, rather shorter than the divisions of the perianth. 

 Leavo? lanceolate, 3-5 inches long. — Shore of Lake Hiuion., 



