154 
THE LADIES) FLOJIAL CABINET. 
Bell-Flowered Iris (Sisyrinchium grandiflorum). Flowers Purple. 
THE SISYRINCHIUM. 
i 
T HIS is a small genus of very pretty, hardy, herbaceous 
plants, confined wholly to the United States and 
the British Provinces. 5 . Bermudianum, blue-eyed grass, 
is very common in the Northern and Eastern States. 
When out of flower the plant resembles a tuft of low- 
growing coarse grass. The flowers are small, of a deli¬ 
cate blue, changing to purplish, and occasionally pure 
white. This genus makes a beautiful clump in the gar¬ 
den. It is in its greatest perfection of flower in June, but 
will flower sparingly during the whole summer. 
S. grandiflorum, the subject of our illustration, is well 
worthy of cultivation in every collection of hardy plants. 
The foliage is narrow and grass-like ; the flowers, which 
are produced on slender stems, six inches to twelve in¬ 
ches high, are bell-shaped and drooping, of a rich dark 
purple in the typical plant and of a pure transparent 
whiteness in the variety album. Both are exceedingly 
graceful and pretty plants, charming for the rock garden 
or borders. They prefer a light, peaty or sandy soil, and 
a warm situation. They are readily increased by di¬ 
vision in autumn. This species is indigenous to Northern 
California, British Columbia, Idaho and Nevada. 
