Iris (plant)

See text.

Examples of Iris species

• The Douglas Iris, Iris douglasiana, is a common wildflower of the coasts of California and southern Oregon.
• Iris florentina (often misspelled Iris fiorentina), with white or pale-blue flowers, is a native of the south of Europe. Modern authorities treat it as a subspecies, Iris germanica florentina, of I. germanica. It is the source of the violet-scented orris root used in perfumery. From the flowers of Iris florentina a pigment, the "verdelis," "vert d'iris," or iris-green, formerly used by miniature painters, was prepared by maceration, the fluid being left to putrefy, when chalk or alum was added.
• Iris foetidissima, the Fetid Iris, gladdon or roastbeef plant, the Xyris or stinking gladdon of Gerard, is a native of England south of Durham and also of Ireland, southern Europe and North Africa. Its flowers are usually of a dull, leaden-blue colour; the capsules, which remain attached to the plant throughout the winter, are 2 to 3 in. long; and the seeds scarlet. When bruised this species emits a peculiar and disagreeable odour.
• Iris germanica of central Europe, "the most common purple Fleur de Luce" of Ray, is the large common blue iris of gardens, the bearded iris or fleur de luce and probably the Illyrian iris of the ancients.
• The beautiful Japanese Iris laevigator (Rabbitear Iris) is of comparatively modern introduction, and though of a distinct type h equally beautiful with the better-known species. The outer segmenu are rather spreading than deflexed, forming an almost circular flower which becomes quite so in some of the very remarkable duple varietics, in which six of these broad segments are produced instead of three. Of this too there are numberless varieties cultivated undei names. They require a sandy peat soil on a cool moist subsoil.
• Iris orienii Orjen iris, a close relative to Iris pallida. An endemic alpine species with white flowers found in the karst mountain Orjen in Montenegro. It is very rare and protected.
• Iris pallida Dalmatian iris, Sweet iris : native to the Illyrian coast (former Yugoslavia) but widley naturalized elsewhere. Iris pallida is cultivated for extraction of essential oils from its rhizome orris root. Prefers rocky places in the mediterranean and submediterranean zone and reaches sometimes montane regions at its southern range in Montenegro. Four varieties (regularly described as separate species) are recognised with one possible new alpine species having white flowers. The varíety with deep purplish flowers from Northern Italy and the Slovenian alps is called Iris cengialti.
• Iris pseudacorus, the Yellow Flag or Yellow Iris, is common in Britain on river-banks, and in marshes and ditches. It is called the "water-flag" or "bastard floure de-luce" by John Gerard, who remarks that "although it be a water plant of nature, yet being planted in gardens it prospereth well." Its flowers appear in June and July, and are of a golden-yellow colour. The leaves are from 2 to 4 ft. long, and half an inch to an inch broad. Towards the latter part of the year they are eaten by cattle. The seeds are numerous and pale-brown; they have been recommended when roasted as a substitute for coffee, of which, however, they have not the properties. The astringent rhizome has diuretic, purgative and emetic properties, and may, it is said, be used for dyeing black, and in the place of galls for ink-making.
• Iris reichenbachii Reichenbach iris is a small bearded alpine iris from the Balkan peninsula. Specimens from the west Balkans are much smaller than those from Greece and the eastern Balkans.
• Iris reticulata and Iris persica, both of which are fragrant, are also great favourites with florists.
• Iris versicolor, or Blue Flag, is indigenous to North America, and yields "iridin," a powerful hepatic stimulant.
• Iris xiphium, the Spanish Iris and
• Iris xiphioides, the English Iris. Despite the common name of I xiphioides, both are of Spanish origin, and have very showy flowers, so they are popular with gardeners and florists. They are among the hardier bulbous irises, and can be grown in northern Europe. They require to be planted in thoroughly drained beds in very light open soil, moderately enriched, and should have a rather sheltered position. Both these present a long series of beautiful varieties of the most diverse colours, flowering in May, June and July, the smaller Spanish iris being the earlier of the two.

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