770 species; chiefly in the countries round the Mediterranean, and in Africa, especially the Cape (_Gladiolus_, _Ferraria_, _Moræa_, _Galaxia_, _Sparaxis_, _Antholyza_, _Tritonia_, _Ixia_, etc.), Australia and Tropical America (_Sisyrinchium_, _Tigridia_, _Cipura_, _Cypella_, etc). A great number are ornamental plants: the cultivated _Crocus_-species are from the South of Europe and Asia; _Gladiolus communis_ from S. Europe; the other species principally from S. Africa. The native species of _Iris_ are _I. pseudacorus_ (yellow) and _I. fœtidissima_. OFFICINAL: the stigmas of _Crocus sativus_ (Oriental, cultivated in France, Spain, Italy, and Austria), used as a colouring matter, saffron; the rhizomes of the S. European _Iris florentina_, _pallida_, and _germanica_ (“Orris-root”). [Illustration: FIG. 313.--_Dioscorea batatas_: _A_ ♂-plant; _B_ ♂-flower; _C_ ♀-plant (nat. size); _D_, _E_ ♀-flowers (mag.); _F_ seed; _G_ embryo.] Order 9. =Dioscoreaceæ.= Perennial herbs with fleshy, often very large _tuberous rhizomes_ (or roots); _twining_ stems; leaves stalked, often arrow- or heart-shaped, lobed, _palminerved_ and _finely reticulate_ as in the Dicotyledons (Fig. 313). The flower is _diclinous_ (most frequently _diœcious_), regular, _epigynous_, _small_, and of a _greenish colour_, but otherwise typical (Pr3 + 3, and A3 + 3, or G3); in most instances 2 ovules are placed one above the other in each loculus. The inflorescence is a _spike_ or _raceme_, sometimes richly branched and paniculate.--The order approaches most nearly to the Amaryllidaceæ. _Tamus_ (Bryony) has a berry, _Dioscorea_ (Yam) a thin-walled, 3-edged or 3-winged capsule (Fig. 313). Both have subterranean or aerial tubers; the Yam very often also developes tubers in the axils of the foliage-leaves; tuberous roots are said to occur in _D. batatas_. The tubers of many species of Yams (_D. batatas_ from China and Japan, _D. alata_, South Sea Islands and India, _D. bulbifera_) are a very important source of food in the Tropics, especially the first-named.--_Testudinaria_; _Rajania_.--~The tuberous stem of _Tamus communis_ and _Testudinaria elephantipes_, and some species of _Dioscorea_ is formed from one single internode (epicotyl), and the aerial shoots are developed from adventitious buds; in _T. elephantipes_ the stem is aerial, and covered with thick scales of cork, regularly arranged, and separated by grooves.~ Tropical order (167 species); 2 species (_Tamus communis_ and _Borderea pyrenaica_) in Europe. Family 6. =Scitamineæ.=