627 



€^f Creagurg of 2Sfltanj». 



[iRRE 



Hope. They have fragrant, stimulant, and 

 acrid qualities. The stigmatic processes 

 of Crocus sativus yield saffron ; the rhi- 

 zomes of Iris florentina have the odour of 

 violets. Upwards of 500 species in some 

 fifty genera are known. Examples : Iris, 

 Gladiolus, Crocus, Ixia. [J. H. B.] 



IRIDJEA. A genus of the rose-spored 

 Algce, belonging to the natural order Cryp- 

 tonemiacece, distinguished by its flat frond, 

 which is simple or loosely divided, bearing 

 compound capsules, immersed in its sub- 

 stance. It is closely allied to Gigartina, 

 and distinguished principally by the dif- 

 ferent position of the capsules, and the 

 ! frond being less regularly cleft. I. edulis, 

 I which is easily known by its tough obo- 

 vate dark-red frond, wedge-shaped at the 

 base, is sometimes eaten like the com- 

 mon dulse, Bhodomema palmata, and has 

 been employed in the preparation of a dye, 

 which is probably fugitive. The genus 

 contains many species, most of which in- 

 habit the Southern seas. [M. J. B.] 



IRIDINE. (Fr.) Yieusseuxia. 



IRIO. Sisymbrium Irio. 



IRIS. A beautiful and extensive genus 

 of perennial plants, giving its name to the 

 order Iridacece. They are very common in 

 gardens, and one or two rank amongst our 

 native wild flowers. The greater part have 

 fleshy rhizomes, and sword-shaped leaves 

 of greater or less breadth, but'some few 

 are tufted plants, with fibrous roots, and a 

 few others bulbous. The flowers are, in 



Iri3 florentina. 



many of the species, large and very showy, 

 being of bright or well-contrasted colours. 

 The perianth is six-parted, with a short 

 tube, but of the six segments the three 

 outer are reflexed, and very frequently 

 bearded at the base, and the three inner 

 erect and very frequently smaller than the 

 outer: there are three stamens inserted 

 at the base of the outer segments, and 

 having the anthers turned outwards ; and 



a triquetrous style with three petaloid di- 

 lated stigmas, each opposite the stamens, 

 keeled above, and hollow beneath, having 

 a transverse fold towards the front. The 

 capsule is three or six-angled, and three- 

 celled, containing numerous seeds. The 

 species are found chiefly in the south of 

 Europe and north of Asia, a few extend- 

 ing to North America and North Africa. 

 Orris root, which has the odour of violets, 

 and so much used for perfumery powders, 

 &c, is the rhizome of I. florentina, a species 

 with large white flowers. The root pos- 

 sesses carthartic and emetic properties ; it 

 is also sometimes chewed by persons who 

 have offensive breath. The common na- 

 tive species, J. Pseud-acorus. found by the 

 margins of ponds and streams, possesses 

 astringent properties, and it is said that 

 it may be used as a substitute for galls in 

 making ink, as well as for dyeing black. 

 Another species, /. versicolor, has purga- 

 tive rhizomes. As garden flowers, the spe- 

 cies of Ins rank amongst the most orna- 

 mental of hardy perennials. [T. MJ 



IRIS, PEACOCK. Vieusseuxia, — , SCOR- 

 PION. Iris alata. —, SNAKE'SHEAD. 

 Hermodactylus tuberosus. 



IRIS. (Fr.) The Fleur-de-lis, the em- 

 blem of France. — D'ALLEMAGNE. Iris 

 germanica. — DES MARA1S. Iris Pseud- 

 acorus. — DES PR]§S. Iris sibirica. 



— DETJIL. Iris susiava. — GIGOT. Iris 

 fcetidissima. — JAUNE. Iris Pseud-aco- 

 rus. — NAINE. Iris pumila. — PLU- 

 MEUSE. — Morcea virgata. — TIGREE. 

 Morcea sinensis. 



IRIS-ROOT. The same as Orris-root. 



IRONBARK-TREE. Eucalyptus resini- 

 fera, and Sideroxylon. 



IRONHEADS. Centaurea nigra. 



IRON-TREE. Siderodendron. 



IRON-WEED. Yernonia. 



IRONWOOD. Sideroxylon; also the tim- 

 ber of several species of Diospyrus, and of 

 Metrosideros vera. — of Bourbon. Cupa- 

 nia Sideroxylon. — of Dutch East Indies. 

 Eusideroxylon Zuageri ; also Namia vera, 

 Intsia amboinensis, Cassia florida, Meme- 

 cylon ferreum, Stadmannia Sideroxylon, 

 Dodoncea Waitziana, and Sloetia Sideroxy- 

 lon. — of Morocco. Argania Sideroxylon. 



— of New South Wales. Argyrod.endron 

 trifoliatum. — of Norfolk Island. Note- 

 lo3a longifolia, and Olea apetala. — of North 

 America. Ostrya virginica, and Carpinus 

 americana. — of South Africa. Olea un- 

 dulata and capensis. — of S. Sea Islands. 

 Casuarina equisetifolia. — of Tasmania. 

 Notelma ligustrina. — , BASTARD. Xan- 

 thoxylon Pterota. — , BLACK. Olea un- 

 dulata. — , JAMAICA. Erythroxylon areo- 

 laturn. — , WHITE. Vepris lanceolata. 



IRONWORT. Sideritis ; also Galeopsis 

 Ladanum. — , TELLOW. Galeopsis vil- 



IRREGULAR. Having the parts which 



