72 
BOTANICAL INDEX. 
Fig. 145. Fig. 146. Fig. 147. 
IRIS. LiNN/KUS. 
Order — Irideir.. Brongniart. 
Type — Iris Germanica. 
Etymology — Iris, the Rainbow; [<?r.] the name of an Ancient Mythical Pagan Deity, symbolized by the 
rainbow. 
[JStotntjj paper.] 
i^yfe?F all the fairy tales and fables of Ancient Mythology, perhaps the most in- 
■il ■ p teresting is the story of Juno, the Mythical Queen of Heaven, surrounding 
llj| the world with a transparent mist, which, pierced by the glittering rays of 
the Sun, produced the Rainbow, the archetype of Iris. Ancient Mythology, 
however, goes still further and tells us that Juno was attended by five 
deities and fourteen nymphs, but her most faithful attendant was Iris. But 
the age of fable is passed, and now we interpret the ancient ideas of the Rainbow, 
as the embodiment of all that is beautiful or divinely fair , and a fit companion for 
the Gods, of which they knew not, still, worshiped. 
So much for the ancient origin of the name, while its application to the group of 
plants under consideration, is equally instructive. It was chosen by the earlj r nat- 
uralist, — while the study of botany as a science was j’et unknown, — to designate an 
indefinite section or group of plants, with especial referance to the Iris; all of 
which produce more or less brilliant and showy llowers, and all of which are un- 
surpassed for garden culture, especially, since the species and varieties now offered 
present such varied forms and well contrasted colors. Linmeus, in his effort to ob- 
literate all the old botanical names, called the family Ensatee, from the Latin Ensis — 
a sword — on account of their leaves being long, narrow and pointed, i. e., sword- 
like. He, however, soon abandoned his name, and restored the old Greek name, 
Iris, which has been retained by subsequent botanist. In heraldry, the flower of 
the Iris, under the name of Fleur-de-lis, (pronounced by a corruption of the French 
language, Flower-de-luce.) was also employed as the royal emblem of France during 
the reign of the old Kings, consisting (in heraldry) of three flowers on an azure 
field. Its interpretation is “The Royal (purple) Lily, queen of flowers, the true 
representative of Majesty.” Since the establishment of the Republics, as well as 
during the Empires of France, the Fleur-de-lis has ceased to be used as the national 
emblem; but, in some of its modified forms, it figures very conspicuously in the 
hcraldrie emblems of some of the oldest noble families of both France and England. 
From a scientific point of view, or, more correctly speaking, in the natural order 
of the vegetable kingdom, the Iris approaches nearer the structure of the true Lily, 
than any other aquatic plant, at least, any one of which, we have written; for 
