Iris is a flowering plant genus of 310 accepted species with showy flowers. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is flags, while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as junos, particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
Iridaceae is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a total of c. 2500 species. It includes a number of economically important cultivated plants, such as species of Freesia, Gladiolus, and Crocus, as well as the crop saffron.
Sisyrinchium is a large genus of annual to perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. Native to the New World, the species are known as blue-eyed grasses. Although they are not true grasses (Poaceae), they are monocots.
Nymphaea is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. Some taxa occur as introduced species where they are not native, and some are weeds. Plants of the genus are known commonly as water lilies, or waterlilies in the United Kingdom. The genus name is from the Greek νυμφαία, nymphaia and the Latin nymphaea, which mean "water lily" and were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology.
Lilium candidum, the Madonna lily or white lily, is a plant in the true lily family. It is native to the Balkans and Middle East, and naturalized in other parts of Europe, including France, Italy, and Ukraine, and in North Africa, the Canary Islands, Mexico, and other regions. It has been cultivated since antiquity, for at least 3,000 years, and has great symbolic value since then for many cultures. It is susceptible to several virus diseases common to lilies, and especially to Botrytis fungus. One technique to avoid problems with viruses is to grow plants from seed instead of bulblets.
Zantedeschia is a genus of eight species of herbaceous, perennial, flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa from South Africa north to Malawi. The genus has been introduced on all continents except Antarctica. Common names include arum lily for Z. aethiopica and calla and calla lily for Z. elliottiana and Z. rehmannii, although members of the genus are neither true lilies of Liliaceae, true Arums, nor true Callas. The colourful flowers and leaves of both species and cultivars are greatly valued and commonly grown as ornamental plants.
Dietes is a genus of rhizomatous plants of the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866. Common names include wood iris, fortnight lily, African iris, Japanese iris and butterfly iris, each of which may be used differently in different regions for one or more of the six species within the genus.
Iris pseudacorus, the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet pseudacorus means "false acorus", referring to the similarity of its leaves to those of Acorus calamus, as they have a prominently veined mid-rib and sword-like shape. However, the two plants are not closely related. The flower is commonly attributed with the fleur-de-lis.
Diplarrena is a genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae. The two species are endemic to Australia. The name is from Greek diploos ("double") and arren ("male"); plants in the genus have only two functional stamens, while all other Iridaceae have three. The name is often misspelled Diplarrhena, an error that began with George Bentham's Flora Australiensis in 1873.
Moraea, the Cape tulips, is a genus of plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1758. The group is widespread across Africa, the Mediterranean, and central and southwestern Asia. The genus name is a tribute to the English botanist Robert More.
Dietes bicolor, the African iris, fortnight lily or yellow wild iris, is a clump-forming rhizomatous perennial plant with long sword-like evergreen pale green leaves, growing from multiple fans at the base of the clump. This species belongs to the iris family Iridaceae. It can form large clumps if left undisturbed for years. It is commonly cultivated in its native South Africa, where it is often used in public gardens, beautification of commercial premises and along roadsides. It is also cultivated in mild temperate zones elsewhere.
Calochortus argillosus is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which is known by the common name clay mariposa lily.
Moraea bituminosa is a species of the genus Moraea in family Iridaceae.
Moraea collina is a species of the genus Moraea, in the family Iridaceae. It was formerly known as Homeria collina.
Moraea aristata is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is referred to by the common names blue-eyed uintjie or Blouooguintjie in Afrikaans.It is endemic to the city of Cape Town and is considered to be critically endangered.
Iris × hollandica, commonly known as the Dutch iris, is a hybrid iris developed from species native to Portugal, Spain and North Africa.
Subgenus Iris is one subgenus of Iris.
Iris orientalis is a species in the genus Iris; it is also in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Spuriae. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, from Turkey and Greece, with white flowers with a yellow mark or blotch. It was also known as Iris ochroleuca for a long time. It is commonly known as yellow banded iris in the U.S. and Turkish iris in the UK but also has some other less common names. It is very hardy and has been known to naturalize in various countries. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
Calectasia cyanea, commonly known as the star of Bethlehem or blue tinsel lily, is a plant in the family Dasypogonaceae growing as a perennial herb and is endemic to the south–west of Western Australia. Restricted to a single population in Torndirrup National Park, it is critically endangered.
Iris dichotoma is a species in the genus Iris and is also in the subgenus of Iris. It was once formerly known as Pardanthopsis dichotoma as it was placed in a genus of its own before DNA testing resulted in it returning to the genus Iris. It is native to the forests and grasslands of Siberia, China, Mongolia and Korea. It has long greyish green leaves, long branched stems carrying many flowers in summer or late summer. In shades of violet, mauve to purple, lavender, pale blue, white or pink. They appear in the late afternoon at the time of Vespers.
