I I S n '
IRIS verna.
Vernal American Iris.
Natural Order. IridEjE. Brovin prodr. 302.
JR IS. Perianthium 6-partitum magnum : laciniis 3 alternis
rectis ; 3 alternis reflexis intus barbatis aut imberbibus basi
staminiferis. Stylus brevis ; stigmata 3 petaloidea, oblunga,
magna, staminibus incumbentia, sulco longitudinali nectarifero
marginato suprà exarata.
I. verna, imberbls, acaulis, uniflora, foliis lineari-ensiformibns
rigidis acutis glaucescentibus, perianthii laciniis subsequa-
libus, capsulis obsolete trigonis.
Iris verna. Mich. jl. amer. 1. p. 22. Willden. sp. pi. 1.
p. 235. Pers. syn. 1. p. 53.
Iris verna ? Nutt. gen. amer. 1. p . 23.
Roots scarcely tuberous, creeping, reddish. Leaves
radical, linearly-ensiform, rigidly coriaceous, acute,
margined, slightly glaucous, tinged with red at the
base ; in our plant, a foot in length. Scape 1-flowered,
sessile, or nearly so, sheathed at the base with short
leaf-like bractes. Germen attenuated, slightly triquetrous.
Tube o f the Perianthium slightly but bluntly
triangular, about 2 inches long; jointed on the
tube, inner and outer divisions nearly equal, with long
slender ungues, oblong-obovate, of a beautiful bright
blue, the 3 exterior marked with an oblong orange-
yellow stripe, edged and spotted with black, and
having a central slightly raised, scarcely villous line;
inner ones of one colour, at first connivent, afterwards
spreading flat like the outer ones. Stamens 3, inserted
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