ORDER DIGYNIA. 
1S3 
even in our own climate as early as March ; there is, of this ge- 
nus 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 the interesting Henry Kirke White, whose untimely death, 
in the spring time of his existence, has been deeply regretted, 
but his early and fervent piety, marked him as a fit inhabitant 
for a purer sphere ; a Christian, and philosopher, he could see an 
invisible hand directing the operations of nature. 
“ Sav, what impels amid -surrounding - snow 
Congealed, the Crocus’ Jlamy bud to grow 7 
Say what retards, amid the Summer’s blaze, 
The autumnal bulb, till pale declining 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 lingering bloom, enjoins delay.” 
The Iris, or Fleur-de-lis, (pronounced by a corruption of the 
^French, Flower de luce,) is the national flower of France, as 
the Rose is of England. You will find on attentive examination 
that this is a very curious flower. It has no proper calyx, but 
a spatha ; its corolla consists of six parts, alternately reflected , 
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 com- 
mon Blue flag, is found in wet places. The flowers are purple 
streaked with with yellow ; this is sometimes called Poison flag. 
The Crocus and Iris are found in the natural family of Jussieu 
called Irulea ; this family is in the class of monocotyledons, hav- 
ing stamens around the germ, or perigynous. Linnaeus calls the 
same plants, Ensatte from the Latin word ensis, a sword, on ac- 
count of the shape of their leaves, being long, narrow and point- 
ed. 
order digynia. — The Grasses. 
The 2d Order of the third class contains the natural family 
of the grasses, ( Gramina ); they are distinguished by a strait 
hollow, and jointed stem, or culm ; the long and linear leaves 
are placed at each joint of the stalk in alternate order, enclosing 
it like a sheath. The flowers of the grasses are found in what 
is called the ear, or head, and consist of two green husks, called 
a glume ; within this glume calyx is the blossom, consisting of a 
Iris — Order Digynia — Grasses — Flowers of the grasses. 
