IRIS FAMILY. 421 



spike of bright crimson-red flowers, 2' across, the ovate acute lobes all 

 alike and widely spreading from a narrow tube ; the slender style deeply 

 cleft (whence the name) into 3 thread-like branches. S. Africa. 



8. IXIA. (Greek for birdlime, referring to the clammy juice of some 

 species.) Cape of Good Hope. 



« Perianth tube short and cylindrical. 



•f- Filaments distinct. 

 ** Flowers with a black-purple throat. 



I. maculata, Linn. (I. c6nica.) Stem terete and slender, sometimes 

 branched, l°-2° high ; flowers many in dense erect spikes ; perianth tube 

 twice longer than spathe, the bell-form limb yellow and an inch or less 

 long. 



/. viridiflbra, Lam. Stem long and slender (lJ°-3°), simple; flowers 

 many in a long spike ; perianth tube little longer than the spathe, the 

 limb pale green. 



/. hybrida, Ker. A foot high, slender, the raceme flexuose and many- 

 flowered ; flowers white, with a tinge of pink, small. 



■w- ++ Flowers with no marking in the throat. 



I. patens, Ait. Stem terete, 12'-20' high, often branched ; flowers 

 many in rather dense spikes, the bell-form limb pale red ; perianth tube 

 little longer than the spathe ; radical or basal leaves usually 4. 



/. speciosa, Andr. (I. crateroides.) Stem slender and terete, com- 

 monly simple, 6'-15' high ; flowers few in an erect spike, the tube little 

 longer than the spathe, and the limb dark crimson ; basal leaves 5 or 6. 



•t- +- Filaments more or less united. 



I. monadelpha, Delar. Stem 10'-20' high, slender, simple or branched ; 

 flowers few in a short spike, the tube often twice as long as the spathe, 

 the limb lilac, throat greenish or blue. There are varieties with purplish 

 flowers (var. purpurea), with yellow and black-blotched flowers (var. 



VEESfCOLOK), etC. 



* * Perianth tube dilated into funnel-shape at the top. 



I. odorata, Ker. (I. erecta.) Stem slender and terete, branched; 

 flowers fragrant, in a short spike, yellow. 



9. FREESIA. (Derivation unknown.) Popular plants for forcing, 

 from Cape of Good Hope. 



F. refrdcta, Klatt. Stems slender, often branched, 12'-20' high, the 

 flowers at its top in a slender secund, nearly horizontal raceme ; flowers 

 white marked by violet lines or yellowish, or pure white (var. Alba), 2'- 

 3' long, very fragrant, gradually narrowed into a very slender tube, the 

 lobes spreading ; leaves flat. 



F. Leichtllnii, Klatt, perhaps a form of the above, has pale yellow 

 flowers which are abruptly narrowed into a short tube, the lobes more 

 erect. 



ZO. BABIANA. (Said to come from the Dutch word for baboon, 

 because the bulbs are eaten by that animal.) Cape of Good Hope. 

 * Perianth nearly rotate. 



B. strlcta, Ker. (B. purpurea.) Stem 12'-20' high; basal leaves 

 ensiform and hairy, not reaching the spikes, the latter 1-3, moderately 



