132 
CLASSES TEIANDEIA AND TETEANDRIA 
furnislies from its root an intoxicating beverage, the hava of 
the South Sea Islanders ; while the leaf of the Piper hetle is 
chewed with the Areca-nut in the East as a stimulant. 
LECTURE XXY. 
TKIANDEIA, THKEE STAMENS. TETRANDKIA, FOUR STAMENS. 
171. Order Monogynia^ one pistil. — We find here among 
our common exotics the Crocus, one of the earliest flowers of 
our gardens, not un frequently blossoming in the neighborhood 
of a snow-bank. It has a bulbous root, or more properly stem, 
long and narrow leaves, a spatha, and six petals. Besides the 
Crocus vernus^ or spring crocus, which often appears even in 
our own climate as early as March, there is of this genus a very 
distinct species, the Crocus, officinalis^ or true saffron, which 
appears among the late flowers of autumn. The following beau- 
.^'ful 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 philosopher, he could see an 
invisible hand directing the operations of nature. 
" Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow 
Congealed, the Orocua' flamy bud to grow ? 
Say, what retards^ amid the summer's blaze, 
The autumnal bulb, till pale declining days ? 
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 lingering bloom enjoins delay." 
172. The Iris, or Fleur-de-lis, f is very curious in its struc- 
ture. It has no proper calyx, but a spatha; its corolla consists 
of six parts, alternately reflexecL ; the pistil has three petalloid 
stigmas. It is named from Iris, the rainbow, on account of the 
various colors which it reflects, varying from different shades 
of purple, into blue, orange, yellow, and white. We have 
eeveral native species of Iris, one of which, the common blue- 
flag, is found in wet places. The flowers are purple, streaked 
with yellow ; this plant is sometimes called poison-flag. The 
Crocus and Iris are found in the natural family Iridacece. 
Linnseus called the same plants Ensatce (from ensis^ a sword)^ 
* Henry Kirke White. 
+ Appendix, Plate vi. Fig. 6. 
171. Different species of Crocus. — 172. Iris. 
