Iris

Iris is the largest genus in the Iridaceae family. It contains more than 300 species and many hybrids and cultivars. In Greek mythology, Iris was goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. It's useful to become familiar with the groups or subgenus divisions, as this helps to sort out similar species, an aid when approaching their cultivation.

The topic of the week for March 2004 was Iris. The Introduction was supplied by Robert Pries. He also prepared an Iris Summary summarizing the proposed changes in how this genus could be divided in the future.

Pollination and Structure Details
The Iris flower has three fold symmetry. The lower sepals are called 'falls' and provide an attractive landing pad for pollinators (bees). To get at the nectar they must push up the 'style arm' and as they do this pollen on them is removed by the 'stigmatic lip' pollinating the flower. New pollen is then applied from the stamen and as the insect backs out the structure of the lip ensures the new pollen is not removed. Captioned photographs by David Pilling of Iris sibirica.

Examples of the range of iris forms
Three genera that were formerly separated from Iris are now included in the genus: Belamcanda, Hermodactylus, and Pardanthopsis.

Bulbous irises with wiki pages are Juno Irises, Reticulata Irises, and Spanish Irises. Hybrids of Spanish Irises are called Dutch Irises and are pictured on the Spanish Irises page.

Irises with rhizomes that have wiki pages are Aril Irises, Beardless iris a-k, Beardless iris l-r, Beardless iris s-z, Crested Irises, Garden Bearded Irises, and Pacific Coast Irises.

Miscellaneous Irises includes species that are not listed on one of the other pages.

Beardless iris a-k - Beardless iris l-r - Beardless iris s-z - Crested Irises - Garden Bearded Irises - Juno iris a-i - Juno iris j-r - Juno iris s-z - Aril Irises - Miscellaneous Irises - Pacific Coast Hybrids - Pacific Coast Irises - Reticulata Irises - Spanish Irises - Belamcanda - Hermodactylus - Pardanthopsis

This table lists species of Iris. For hybrids and selections, see the table at the bottom of the page.

Jump to: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

Iris species
acutiloba	albertii	albicans	anguifuga	atropurpurea
attica	aucheri	*bakeriana	barbatula	bicapitata
bloudowii	boissieri	bracteata	brevicaulis	bucharica
caucasica	chrysophylla	collettii	confusa	cristata
cycloglossa	dabashanensis	danfordiae	decora	dichotoma
dolichosiphon	domestica	douglasiana	ensata	fernaldii
filifolia	*flavescens	foetidissima	fosteriana	fulva
galatica	gatesii	gracilipes	graeberiana	graminea
halophila	hartwegii	henryi	histrio	histrioides
hoogiana	hookeri	humilis	*hyrcana	iberica
inconspicua	innominata	japonica	juncea	kirkwoodiae
kochii	kolpakowskiana	koreana	korolkowii	kuschakewiczii
lactea	lacustris	laevigata	latifolia	lazica
leptophylla	lutescens	macrosiphon	magnifica	mandschurica
minutoaurea	missouriensis	munzii	narbutii	odaesanensis
orchioides	orientalis	palaestina	pallida	pamphylica
paradoxa	persica	planifolia	probstii	pseudacorus
pseudopumila	pumila	purdyi	reichenbachii	reticulata
rosenbachiana	ruthenica	sari	schachtii	serotina
setosa	sibirica	*sichuanensis	sicula	sintenisii
speculatrix	spuria	stenophylla	stolonifera	suaveolens
tectorum	tenax	tenuissima	tenuifolia	tenuis
thompsonii	tigridia	tingitana	tubergeniana	tuberosa
unguicularis	verna	vicaria	virginica	warleyensis
wattii	willmottiana	winogradowii	xiphium	zagrica
zaprjagajewii

There are many selections and hybrids, likely more named varieties than species. Here is a sampling of them:

Iris selections and hybrids
'Bronze Beauty'	bucharica 'Duschanbe'	bucharica 'Princess'	'Dardanus'
ensata 'Variegata'	× germanica	× germanica 'Gypsy Boy'	× germanica 'Rare Wine'
× germanica 'Wabash'	graeberiana 'White Fall'	'Harmony'	histrioides 'Angel Tears'
histrioides 'George'	'Katherine Hodgkin'	× hollandica	'Lady Beatrice Stanley'
laevigata 'Alboviolacea'	laevigata 'Variegata'	magnifica 'Agalik'	macrosiphon 'Mt. Madonna'
* × mesopotamica	'Nada'	narbutii 'Kara Kaga'	'Oriental Beauty'
pallida 'Aureovariegata'	PCI 'Big Smile'	PCI 'Cape Sebastian'	PCI 'Cozumel'
PCI 'Edgeworthy'	PCI 'Finger Pointing'	PCI 'Wildman'	reticulata 'Alba'
reticulata 'Alida'	reticulata 'Armenia'	reticulata 'Halkins'	reticulata 'Kuh-e-Abr'
reticulata 'Lovely Liza'	rosenbachiana 'Harangon'	rosenbachiana 'Tovil Dara'	rosenbachiana 'Varzob'
'Sapphire Beauty'	'Sheila Ann Germaney'	'Sindpers'	'Wild Lakota'
unguicularis 'Mary Barnard'	unguicularis 'Starkers Pink'	virginica 'Contraband Girl'	willmottiana 'Alba'

To see more Iris pictures go to the SIGNA species database. You can also get more information on Aril irises from the Aril Society International. The American Iris Society has created an Iris encyclopedia with information and photos.

Beardless iris a-k - Beardless iris l-r - Beardless iris s-z - Crested Irises - Garden Bearded Irises - Juno iris a-i - Juno iris j-r - Juno iris s-z - Aril Irises - Miscellaneous Irises - Pacific Coast Hybrids - Pacific Coast Irises - Reticulata Irises - Spanish Irises - Belamcanda - Hermodactylus - Pardanthopsis