IRIDBjE. 



831 



the 2 petals nearly as long, linear and 

 spreading ; all of a brown-purple. Lip 

 very large and inflated, compared to a 

 slipper, yellow variegated with purple. 

 Column very much shorter than the 

 petals. 



In woods, in Russian Asia and eastern 

 Europe, almost to the Arctic Circle, 

 more sparingly distributed over west- 

 ern Europe. In Britain, almost extinct, 

 although still found occasionally near 

 Settle, in Yorkshire. Fl. early summer. 



Fig. 1002. 



LXXXI. THE IRIS FAMILY. IBIDEM. 



Perennial herbs, with a bulbous, tuberous, or shortly creep- 

 ing root stock, and leaves usually either radical or equitant, that 

 is, arranged on opposite sides of the stem, and vertically, not 

 horizontally flattened, opening towards the base in a sheath 

 which embraces the stem. Perianth superior, with 6 petal-like 

 segments. Stamens 3. Ovary inferior, 3-celled, with many 

 ovules. Style 1, with 3 stigmas (or stigmatic lobes), sometimes 

 dilated and petal-like or fringed. 



A rather large family, widely spread over the globe, but particularly 

 abundant in southern Africa and other dry sunny climates. It differs 

 from the Amaryllis family in the number of stamens, and, in most 

 cases, in the position of the leaves. 



Leaves on the stem, equitant. 



Perianth with 3 outer large segments, and 3 inner small 

 ones. Stigmas large and petal-like, arching over the 



stamens 1. Iris. 



Perianth with 6 nearly similar segments, but oblique, and 



arranged almost in two lips 2. Gladiolus. 



Leaves radical, narrow-linear. Perianth- segments nearly 

 equal, and regular. 

 Eootstock tufted or fibrous. Flowers 2 or more in a ter- 

 minal cluster or umbel. Stigmas entire .... 3. Sisyrinchium. 



