Iris

iris, (genus Iris), genus of about 300 species of plants in the family Iridaceae, including some of the world’s most popular and varied garden flowers. The diversity of the genus is centred in the north temperate zone, though some of its most handsome species are native to the Mediterranean and central Asian areas. The iris is (arguably) the fleur-de-lis of the French royalist standard. It is a popular subject of Japanese flower arrangement, and it is also the source of orrisroot, from which “essence of violet” perfume is made.