172 



TUN young naturalist. 



this peculiar development. The bur- 

 reed (Sparg allium), has a very similar 

 leaf to outward appearance, and as it 

 grows in like places it might at first 

 sight be mistaken for the iris, but it 

 will easily be seen that the upper and 

 under surfaces of its leaf, are in what 

 we might term their natural positions. 

 The iris leaves are very glaucous, that ! 

 is they are covered with a bloom like 

 that seen on peaches or grapes. This 

 exudation is common to many aquatic 

 and sea-side plants ; it has lingered 

 through many generations of cultiva- 

 tion in cabbages and sea kale. It is 

 very easily rubbed off, indeed the 

 plant cannot be handled without leav- 

 ing the impress of the fingers. It is a 

 waste product of a waxy nature, form- 

 ing a superficial pellicle, doubtless of 

 some use in preventing an undue evap- 

 oration of water from the surface. A 

 fully developed iris leaf is fully four 

 feet in length, by an inch and a half 

 in breadth. Their shape suggests their 

 use to boys, who in their rural games, 

 with their heads protected by fantastic 

 helmets of plaited rushes and armed 

 with swords of the iris leaves, sally 

 forth in sportive play to join in the 

 contests of their mimic warfare. Sir 

 W. Scott alludes to this pastime when 

 he graphically pictures the solitary 

 grave of Marmion : — 



" But yet from out the little hill, 



Oozes the slender springlet still, 

 Oft halts the stranger there, 



For thence may best his curious eye, 



The memorable field descry ; 



And shepherd boys repair 

 To seek the water flag and rush, 

 And rest them by the hazel bush, 



And plait their garlands fair ; 

 Nor dream they sit upon the grave 

 That holds the bones of Marmion brave." 



The loose cellular texture of the leaves 

 with their numerous air cavities makes 

 them remarkably light and corky in 

 their character, which is taken advan- 

 tage of by the less venturesome youths 

 in their first endeavours to learn swim- 

 ming, when they use large bundles of 

 the light spongy leaves of the iris as 

 life-buoys or swimming bladders in 

 their natatory initiation. 



The flowering stem of the iris is 

 round, firm, and erect, as tall as the 

 leaves, with a few scattered leaves, and 

 slightly branching in the upper por- 

 tion. The few large showy flowers are 

 borne usually two or three together, 

 at the extremities of the stem and 

 branches. They are singly enveloped 

 in two sheathing leaves or bracts, from 

 between which the unopened flowers 

 may be observed protruding, twisted 

 and rolled up cigar- fashion. In mono- 

 cotyledons generally, such as lilies, 

 tulips, crocus, &c, there is only one 

 whorl of coloured leaves forming the 

 flower, called the perianth, and there is 

 no marked difference betwixt calyx and 

 corolla, as there is in roses and butter- 

 cups for example. This, however, is 

 only partially true of the yellow iris, 

 for whilst the whole of the lower part 



