The African Geraniums differ much from the European, in the irregularity of their Petals, but exhibit the character of the Class _Monadelphia_ much better than any of our English ones, having their filaments manifestly united into one body; this species has only 7 filaments bearing antherae, but 3 barren ones may be discovered upon a careful examination, which makes it of the order _Decandria_. [21] ~Iris Versicolor. Particoloured Iris.~ _Class and Order._ ~Triandria Monogynia.~ _Generic Character._ _Corolla_ 6-petala, inaequalis, petalis alternis geniculato-patentibus. _Stigmata_ petaliformia, cucullato-bilabiata. Conf. _Thunb. Dis. de Iride._ _Specific Character and Synonyms._ IRIS _versicolor_ imberbis foliis ensiformibus, scapo tereti flexuoso, germinibus subtrigonis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed._ 14. _Murr. p._ 90. _Sp. Plant. ed._ 3. _p._ 57. IRIS Americana versicolor stylo crenato. _Dill. Elth._ 188. 1. 155. _f._ 188. [Illustration: No. 21] A native of Virginia, Maryland, and Pensylvania, has a perennial root, is hardy, and will thrive in almost any soil or situation; may be increased by parting its roots in autumn. Our plant is the _picta_ of Miller, and the _versicolor_ of Miller is, we believe, the _sibirica_ of Linnaeus. This species has, for the most part, a stalk unusually crooked or elbowed, by which it is particularly distinguished. It flowers in June, as do most of this beautiful tribe. [22] ~Nigella damascena. Garden Fennel-flower, Love in a mist, Devil in a Bush.~ _Class and Order._ ~Polyandria Pentagynia.~ _Generic Character._ _Cal._ nullus. _Petala_ 5. Nectaria 5. trifida, intra corollam. _Capsulae_ 5 connexae. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ NIGELLA _damascena_ floribus involucro folioso cinctis. _Lin. Syst. Vegetab. ed._ 14. _Murr. p._ 506. _Sp. Pl. p._ 753. NIGELLA angustifolia, flore majore simplici caeruleo. _Bauh. Pin._ 145. The great Spanish Nigella. _Park. Parad. p._ 287. [Illustration: No. 22] Is an annual, and grows wild among the corn in the southern parts of Europe; varies with white and blue flowers, both single and double. "May be propagated by sowing their seeds upon a bed of light earth, where they are to remain (for they seldom succeed well if transplanted); therefore, in order to have them intermixed among other annual flowers in the borders of the Flower Garden, the seeds should be sown in patches at proper distances: and when the plants come up, they must be thinned where they grow too close, leaving but three or four of them in each patch, observing also to keep them clear from weeds, which is all the culture they require. In July they will produce their flowers, and their seeds will ripen in August.