IRIS FAMILY 



always a flat, six-pointed star. The common name is suggested 

 by the ripened capsule; an enlarged central column comes up 

 through, the ovary, the outside covering falls away, the round 

 black seeds cling fast to the column and form 

 a clever imitation of a ripe and luscious 

 blackberry. 



MOWTBRETIA 



Montbrelia. Trit&nia crocosmceflbra. 



Tritonia from Triton, a vane, alluding to 

 the variable directions of the anthers in 

 different species. 



Root. — Bulbous. 



Leaves. — Tall, stiff, narrow, abundant. 

 Flowers. — In spike-like racemes, orange-scarlet. 

 Perianth. — Lily-like, six-cleft. 



This familiar Montbretia is a hybrid of 



two South African species and is regarded 



crocasma^bra ^^ ^^^ D^st of the garden forms. It IS a 



hardy, summer-flowering bulb, to be treated 



like gladiolus, although it is said that it may be left out-of-doors 



for the winter, if given some protection. 



96 



