530 



ORDER CXXIV. IRIDACE^E. 



base ; upper leaves merely a sheath. Flowers in a terminal spike. 

 Bracts an ovate scale. Sepals lanceolate, acute. Petals flaccid. — Red. 

 If. May — July. Wet soils. Low country of Car. and Geo. 2 — 3 ft. 



Indian Shot. Headache Plant. 



Genus II.— THA'LIA. L. 1—1. 

 (In honor of Thalius, a German physician.) 



Sepals 3, ovate-lanceolate, concave, small. Corolla tubular, 

 6-parted. Anther simple, ovate. Style short, deflected. Stig- 

 ma ringent. Capsule 2-celled. 



1. T. dealba'ta, (Pursh.) Leaves all radical, distichous, cordate- 

 ovate, acute, glabrous, long, and wide, on very long petioles. Scape 

 erect, columnar. Flowers in terminal panicles. Peduncles jointed, 

 with a many-leaved involucre at each joint. Bracts 2-flowered, coria- 

 ceous. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, purple ; the three exterior segments 

 of the corolla obovate, equal, the- three interior irregular. Sterile fila- 

 ments irregular, the fertile one filiform. — Purple. If. June — Sept. 

 In the low country. 3 — 5 feet. 



Order CXXIV.— IRIDA'CE^E. (Iris Family.) 



Perianth tubular, 6-parted, petaloid, irregular, the outer seg- 

 ments largest. Stamens 3, opposite the outer segments. Ovary 

 3-celled, inclosed in the tube of the perianth. Ovules numerous. 

 Style 1. Stigmas 3, in the Iris dilated, and petaloid. Capsule 

 3-celled, 5-valved, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds numerous. 

 Flowers spathaceous. Herbaceous plants, with equitant leaves. 



Genus I.— I'RIS. L. 3—1. {Flower-de-luce.) 

 (From iris, the eye, in allusion to its colors.) 



Perianth 6-parted ; segments unequal, the outer ones large 

 and reflexed, the inner smaller, and erect. Stamens 3, distinct. 

 Style none. Stigmas 3, petaloid, deflected, covering the stamens. 



1. I. crista'ta, (L.) Stem compressed, short. Leaves ensiform ; 

 scape 1 -flowered ; exterior segments of the perianth oblong, obtuse, en- 

 tire, with 3 longitudinal crests; interior petals narrower. — Blue and 

 yellow. If. Feb. — March. Abundant in Middle Car. 2 — 4 inches. 



Crested Iris. 



2. I. versicolor, (L.) Stem erect, simple, or branched toward the 

 bummit. Leaves ensiform. Flowers 2 — 4, at the summit of the scape ; 



tents of the perianth spatulate; exterior segments pubescent on 

 the inner surface, inner ones smaller. Stigmas ligulate, 2 toothed near 

 the base. Capsule ventricose. — Blue, variegated with green, yellow, 

 and purple. 2f. April — May. In ponds. Very common. 2 — 3 feet. 



Variegated Iris. 



3. I. tripet'ala, (Walt.) Stem slender, columnar. Leaves ensiform. 

 Flowers solitary ; exterior segments of the perianth large, interior ones 

 very small, 3-toothed. Stigmas 2-toothed near the base. Capsule ob» 



