ala. _Cal._ 2-phyllus. _Capsula,_ 1-locularis sub stigmate
persistente poris dehiscens.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

PAPAVER _orientale_ capsulis glabris, caulibus unifloris scabris
foliosis pinnatis serratis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 490._

Papaver orientale hirsutissimum, magno flore. _Tournes. cor. 17.
itin. 3. p. 127. t. 127._

[Illustration: 57]

Most of the plants of this tribe are distinguished by the splendour of
their colours, most of them also are annuals, in gaiety of colour none
exceed the present species; but it differs in the latter character, in
having not only a perennial root, but one of the creeping kind, whereby
it increases very much, and by which it is most readily propagated.

Though a native of the East, as its name imports, it bears the severity
of our climate without injury, flowers in May, and as its blossoms are
extremely shewy, it gives great brilliancy to the flower-garden or
plantation; prefers a dry soil.

[58]

~Iris spuria. Spurious Iris.~

_Class and Order._

~Triandria Monogynia.~

_Generic Character._

_Corolla_ 6-petala, inaequalis, petalis alternis geniculato-patentibus.
_Stigmata_ petaliformia, cucullato-bilabiata. _Conf. Thunb._ _Diss. de
Iride._

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IRIS _spuria_ imberbis foliis linearibus, scapo subtrifloro tereti,
germinibus hexagonis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 91._ _Jacq. Fl. austr.
tab. 4._

IRIS pratensis angustifolia, folio foetido. _Bauh. Pin. 32._

The greater blue Flower-de-luce with narrow leaves. _Park. Parad. p.
184._

[Illustration: 58]

Some plants afford so little diversity of character, that an expressive
name can scarcely be assigned them; such is the present plant, or
LINNAEUS would not have given it the inexpressive name of
_spuria_, nor we have adopted it.

This species is distinguished by the narrowness of its leaves, which
emit a disagreeable smell when bruised, by the colour of its flowers,
which are of a fine rich purple inclining to blue, and by its hexangular
germen.

It is a native of Germany, where, as Professor JACQUIN informs
us, it grows in wet meadows; is a hardy perennial, thrives in our
gardens in almost any soil or situation, flowers in June, and is
propagated by parting its roots in Autumn.

[59]

~Mesembryanthemum bicolorum. Two-Coloured Fig-Marigold.~

_Class and Order._

~Icosandria Pentagynia.~

_Generic Character._

_Cal._ 5-fidus. _Petala_ numer