140. GRASSES. . 
early as March, there is of this genus a very distinct species, the 
Crocus officinalis^ or the true saffron, which appears among the late 
flowers of autumn. The following beautiful lines, respecting these 
flowers, are from the pen of one* whose early and fervent piety, 
marked him as a fit inhabitant of a purer sphere a Christian phi- 
losopher, he could see an invisible hand directing the operations of 
nature. 
" Say, what impels., amid surrounding snow 
Congealed, the Crocus] fiamy hud to grow ? 
Say, what retards, amid the summer's blaze. 
The autumnal bulb, till pale dechning days 1 
The God of seasons, whose pervading power 
Controls the Sun, or sheds the fleecy shower ; 
He bids each flower his quickening word obey : 
Or to each Hngering bloom, enjoins delay," 
The Iris, or Fleur-de-lis, f (pronounced by a corruption of the 
French langiidige, Jlower-de -luce,) is very curious in its structure. It 
has no proper calyx, but a spatha ; its corolla consists of six parts, 
alternately rejlexed, or bent back, the pistil has three stigmas, which 
appear at first view like petals. The Iris is so named from Iris, the 
rainbow, on account of the various colours which it reflects, varying 
from different shades of purple, into blue, orange, yellow, and white. 
We have several native species of Iris, one of which, the common 
blue flag, is found in wet places. The flowers are purple, streaked 
with yellow; this is sometimes called Poison flag. The Crocus 
and Iris are found in the natural family of Jussieu called IridecB ; 
this family belongs to the division of monocotyledons, having sta- 
Fig. 123. mens around the germ, or perigynous. Lin 
nseus calls the same plants Ensatce, from 
the Latin word eiisis, a sword, on account 
of the shape of their leaves, which are long, 
narrow, and pointed. 
Fig. 123 represents the Ixia, (blackberry- 
lily ;) a, is an entire flower 5 6, is the corolla 
cut lengthwise, to show the three stamens. 
The Ixia belongs to the same natural family 
as the Iris and Crocus. At c, is the flower of 
the matgrass, (Nard^us,) having but one pis- 
til; this is separated from the grass family, 
the greater part of which we shall meet with 
in the next order of this class. 
Order Digynia. — The Grasses. 
The 2d Order of the third class contains the family of the grasses, 
(Gramina ;) they are distinguished by a straight hollow, and jointed 
stem, or culm ; the long and linear leaves are placed at each joint 
of the stalk, in alternate order, j&nclosing it like a sheath. The 
flower is found in what is called an ear or head ; it consists of a 
corolla of two green husks, enclosed by a glume calyx of two husks 
or valves. These husks constitute the chaff, which is separated from 
the seed by an operation called thrashing. 
These little flowers are also furnished with a nectary; they are 
green, like the rest of the plant, and you will need a microscope to 
* Henry Kirk e White. 
t See Appendix, Plate vi. Fig. e. At Plate vi. Fig. 5, is another plant of this clasa 
and order. 
What is said of the Iris 7 — In what natural families did Jussieu and Linnaius place 
ithe:Grocus and Iris— Explain Fig. 123— describe the grass family — The culm— glume. 
