POPULAR PL OKA. 215 



Periantli irregularly 6-cleft ; 3 of the lobes arched and making an upper lip, the 3 

 lower more spreading, yellow, orange, or reddish. Stem rising from a 

 corm, and bearing many flowers in a one-sided spike, (Gladiolus) *Cokn-Flag. 



Perianth 6-cleft; the divisions of two kinds, the 3 outer recurved or spreading, the 3 

 inner alternate -with the others, smaller, erect, and differently shaped; 

 stigmas 3, petal-like, one before each erect stamen. Generally with 

 thick creeping rootstocks, (Iris) Icia. 



Perianth with a slender tube, rising (with the linear flat leaves) from a corm or solid 

 bulb (Fig. 76); the summit divided into 6 roundish, equal, erect, or 

 barely spreading divisions: stigmas 3, thick and wedge-shaped, some- 

 what fringe-toothed. Fl. in early spring, (Crocus) *CK0Cn3. 



Iris or Flower-de-IiUce. Iris. 

 * Common cultivated species in gardens : outer divisions of the perianth with a bearded crest. 



1. Common Iris. Flowers several on a stem, 1° to 3° high, and much longer than the sword-shaped 



leaves, light blue or purple. /. sambuAna. 



2. Dwarf Garden Iris. Flowers close to the ground, hardly exceeding the sword-shaped leaves, 



violet-purple, the divisions obovate, the 3 outer recurved. Fl. in early spring. I.piimila. 



* * Wild species. 



3. Crested Dwarf Iris. Low and almost stemless, from rootstocks spreading on the ground; leaves 



short ; flower pale blue, the tube thread-shaped (2' long) and longer than the spatulate divisions, the 

 three outer divisions with a beardless crest. Fl. spring. S. and W., and in some gardens. /. crisiata. 



4. Larger I. or Blue-Flag. Stem stout, 1° to 3° high, bearing several crestless and beardless purple- 



blue and variegated flowers, their inner divisions much smaller than the outer; leaves sword- 

 shaped, j' widj. Wet places; flowering in late spring. I. versicolor. 



5. Slender I. or Blue-Flag. Stem slender; leaves narrowly linear (}' wide), and flower smaller 



than in No. 4 : otherwise much like it. Wet places, E. /. Virginica. 



102. ORCHIS FAMILY. Order ORCHIDACE^. 

 Plants with irregular and often singular-shaped flowers, the perianth standing as it w^re 

 on the ovary, as in the two preceding orders ; but remarkable for having the stamens, only- 

 one or two, united with the style or stigma. This may best be seen in the Lady's Slipper, 

 of which we have three or four common species : the slipper is one of the petals, in the form 

 of a sac. The flowers of various sorts of Orchis are striking and peculiar ; but the family 

 is too difficult for the young beginner, and therefore the kinds are not described here. 

 Pig. 69 represents two air-plants of this family, belonging to tropical countries. 



III. Glumaceous Division. 



103. RUSH FAMILY. Order JUNCACE.^. 



The true Rushes are known by having flowers with a regular perianth, which, although 



glumaceous, i. e. like the chafiy scales or husks of Grasses, is of 6 regular parts, like a calyx, 



enclosing 6 (or sometimes 3) stamens, and a triangular ovary. This bears a style tipped 



with 3 stigmas, and in fruit becomes a 3-seeded or many-seeded pod. There are two 



