450 THE IRIS FAMILY. 
each proceeding from a sheathing bract, large, erect, of a bright yellow. 
Outer perianth-segments spreading, broadly ovate, fully 2 inches long, 
contracted at the base into an erect, broad claw ; inner segments oblong 
and erect, scarcely longer than the claws of the others, Petal-like 
stigmas rather longer than the inner segments, 2-cleft at the top, witha 
short, scale-like appendage inside at the base of the lobes. Capsule 
ereen, 2 to 3 inches long, with numerous pale-brown seeds. i BS 
In marshes, and along watercourses throughout Europe and Russian - 
Asia, except’ the extreme north. Abundant in Britain. Fl. summer. 
[A well-marked variety, 4. acorzformis, Bor., has darker-coloured sepals 
and shorter stigmas. | 
2. I. foetidissima, Linn. (fig. 1018). Fetid 1., Gladdon, Roastbeef- 
plant.—Not so large a plant as /. Pseudacorus, the leaves narrower, 
1 or 2 only overtopping the stem, and the whole plant of a deeper green, 
smelling disagreeably when bruised. Flowers rather smaller, several 
together, of a violet-blue or rarely pale-yellowish white. Outer perianth- 
segments narrow-ovate, the inner ones reaching to about two-thirds 
theirlength. Petal-like stigmas scarcely so long. Seeds bright orange 
or scarlet. 
In woods and shady places, in western Europe. Abundant in many 
parts of southern England, scarce or local in the north, and only natu- 
ralised in Scotland and Ireland. Fl. swmmer, commencing early. 
II]. GLADIOLUS. GLADIOLUS. 
Rootstock bulbous, the outer coating fibrous and more or less netted. 
Stems leafy, with a terminal, 1l-sided spike of flowers. Perianth 
oblique, the segments obovate or oblong, narrowed into a claw, and 
united in a ttibe at the base, the 8 upper ones and the 3 lower ones 
almost arranged in 2 lips. Stamens ascending under the uppermost 
segments. Stigmas 2, slightly expanded, and entire. 
A numerous genus, chiefly South African, with a few species in the 
Mediterranean and Caucasian regions. } 
1. G. communis, Linn. (fig. 1019). Common G.—Stem 14 to near 
2 feet high. Leaves linear-lanceolate, shorter than the stem. Spike 
of 4 to 6 or 8 red flowers, all turned to one side, and sessile between 
2 lanceolate bracts. Perianth about 1$ inches long, the expanded part 
of the segments oblong-lanceolate, the uppermost one broader and 
rather longer than the others. Anthers linear, shorter than their 
filaments. Capsule short, depressed at the top, with 8 prominent 
angles. 
In meadows, woods, and grassy heaths, in central and southern 
Europe, not reaching nearer us on the Continent than the Loire and 
the Rhine. In Britain, found in the New Forest, near Lyndhurst, 
among the Brakes, and in the Isle of Wight, but possibly introduced. 
Fl. early summer. The true Cornflag (G. segetum), a cornfield weed, is 
a rather more southern species, differing chiefly in its larger flowers, 
with the anthers longer than their filaments, [The British plant is 
referable to one of the Continental varieties of G. communis, called 
allyricus, Koch. ] 
ee 
