THE IRIS FAMILY 
[ORDER LXXX. IRIDACE^] 
PERIANTH of 6 lo.bes, united at the base 
into a tube, the 6 lobes in 2 rows which are 
often unequal, the tube partially adhering 
to the seedcase (superior). 
STAMENS 3 , the anthers turned away from 
the stigma and opening towards the 
perianth-lobes (extrorse), inserted on the 
base of the outer lobes of the perianth, or 
on the top of the seedcase (epigynous). 
PISTIL of 3 CARPELS, uniting into a 
3-celled seedcase which adheres to the 
perianth-tube, and i style which is 
terminated with 3 stigmas, dilated and 
often petal-like or fringed. 
FRUIT a capsule, 3-celled, many-seeded, 
opening down the middle of the cells 
(loculicidally) by 3 valves. 
FLOWERS showy, brightly coloured, en- 
closed when in bud in a sheath (spathe) 
which remains round the stalks and is 
often membranous, in various clusters or 
solitary. 
LEAVES long, narrow, parallel-veined, and 
often sword-shaped, either all from the 
root (radical) or closely packed on opposite 
sides of the stem with the edges over- 
lapping (equitant). 
ROOTS fleshy, bulbs, or tubers, or thick and 
shortly creeping. 
DISTINGUISHED from the Amaryllis and 
Lily tribes, which both have a 6-lobed, 
petal-like perianth, by only having 3 
stamens with their anthers turned towards 
the perianth, and by the dilated stigmas. 
T HE Iris Tribe is easily recognised from other British families of Monocotyledons which have 
a 6-lobed perianth by the presence of 3 stamens only, instead of 6, and by the anthers 
which are turned away from the stigmas and burst outward, so that the insects visiting the honey- 
glands, which are situated outside the circle of stamens, shall get dusted with pollen to carry 
to the stigmas of another flower. The structure of the stigmas, too, is peculiar, as in most genera 
they are large and petal-like ; even in the Crocus they are really widened, though they are so rolled 
up that it is not evident unless you unroll them. 
It is a large order, widely distributed over the world, more abundant in dry warm countries, 
such as Cape Colony. There are found innumerable species of Ixia, Gladiolus, Tigridia, Ferraria, 
Watsonia, Babiana, &c., which, as soon as the rains begin, help to cover the bare ground with 
green foliage and gaily coloured flowers. Many of these are cultivated in England. The Iris has 
been the subject of many experiments and wonderful hybrids are produced. 
Many Continental species of Iris are cultivated in gardens, as are those of the Crocus and 
Gladiolus. 
One species of Crocus, the Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus), has wide rolled-up stigmas which 
are so heavy that the style cannot hold them erect, and they hang like a tassel outside the flower. 
These stigmas, dried and powdered, are the Saffron used in cooking and dying. Orris-root powder, 
used in dentistry, is obtained from the roots of several species of Iris native to the countries 
bordering the Mediterranean. 
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