List of Iris species

Subgenus Iris
Bearded rhizomatous irises

Section Iris


 * Iris adriatica Trinajstic ex Mitic
 * Iris albertii Reg.
 * Iris albicans – white cemetery iris, white flag iris
 * Iris alexeenkoi Grossh.
 * Iris aphylla L. – stool iris, table iris, leafless iris (including I. nudicaulis)
 * Iris aphylla subsp. hungarica (Waldst. & Kit.) Helgi
 * Iris attica (Boiss. & Heldr.) Hayek
 * Iris benacensis A.Kern. ex Stapf
 * Iris bicapitata Colas
 * Iris croatica – Perunika I.Horvat & M.D.Horvat
 * Iris cypriana Foster & Baker
 * Iris flavescens Delile – lemonyellow iris (= I. variegata?)
 * Iris furcata Bieb. – forked iris
 * Iris × germanica L. – German bearded iris (includes I. × barbata)
 * Iris × germanica nothovar. florentina Dykes
 * Iris glaucescens Bunge
 * Iris griffithii Baker
 * Iris hellenica Dionysios Mermygkas, Kit Tan & Artemios Yannitsaros
 * Iris imbricata Lindl.
 * Iris junonia Schott ex Kotschy
 * Iris kashmiriana Baker
 * Iris lutescens Lam. (including I. italica)


 * Iris marsica I.Ricci & Colas.
 * Iris mesopotamica – Mesopotamian iris
 * Iris orjenii – Orjen iris Bräuchler & Cikovac
 * Iris pallida – sweet iris, Dalmatian iris Lam.
 * Iris pallida subsp. cengialti (Ambrosi ex A.Kern.) Foster
 * Iris pallida subsp. illyrica (Iris illyrica) (Tomm. ex Vis.) K.Richt.
 * Iris perrieri Simonet ex P.Fourn.
 * Iris pseudopumila Tineo
 * Iris pumila L.
 * Iris purpureobractea B.Mathew & T.Baytop
 * Iris relicta Colas.
 * Iris reichenbachii Heuff. – Reichenbach's iris
 * Iris revoluta Colas.
 * Iris sambucina L.
 * Iris scariosa Willd. ex Link
 * Iris schachtii Markgr.
 * Iris setina Colas.
 * Iris suaveolens Boiss. & Reut. (including I. iliensis)
 * Iris subbiflora Brot.
 * Iris taochia Woronow ex Grossh.
 * Iris timofejewii Woronow
 * Iris variegata L. – Hungarian iris



Section Oncocyclus
 * Iris acutiloba C.A.Mey. (including I. ewbankiana)
 * Iris antilibanotica Dinsm.
 * Iris assadiana Chaudhary, Kirkw. & C.Weymolauth
 * Iris atrofusca Baker
 * Iris atropurpurea Baker
 * Iris auranitica Dinsm.
 * Iris barnumiae Baker & Foster
 * Iris basaltica Dinsm.
 * Iris bismarckiana Reg. – Nazareth Iris
 * Iris bostrensis Mouterde
 * Iris camillae Grossh.
 * Iris cedreti Dinsm. ex Chaudhary
 * Iris damascena Mouterde
 * Iris gatesii Foster
 * Iris grossheimii Woronow ex Grossh.
 * Iris haynei Baker – Gilboa Iris
 * Iris hermona Dinsm. – Hermon Iris
 * Iris heylandiana Boiss. & Reut.
 * Iris iberica Hoffm.
 * Iris iberica subsp. elegantissima (Sosn.) Fed. & Takht.
 * Iris iberica subsp. lycotis (Woronow) Takht.
 * Iris kirkwoodii (including I. calcarea)
 * Iris lortetii Barbey ex Boiss.
 * Iris lortetii var. samariae (Dinsm.) Feinbrun
 * Iris mariae Barbey.
 * Iris meda Stapf
 * Iris nigricans Dinsm.
 * Iris nectarifera Güner
 * Iris paradoxa Steven
 * Iris petrana Dinsm.
 * Iris sari Schott ex Bak.
 * Iris schelkownikowii Fomin
 * Iris sprengeri Siehe
 * Iris susiana L. – Mourning Iris
 * Iris swensoniana Chaudhary, G.Kirkw. & C.Weymouth
 * Iris westii Dinsm.
 * Iris yebrudii Dinsm. ex Chaudhary

Section Hexapogon
 * Iris falcifolia Bunge
 * Iris longiscapa Ledeb.

Section Psammiris
 * Iris arenaria Waldst. & Kit.
 * Iris bloudowii Ledeb.
 * Iris curvifolia Y.T.Zhao
 * Iris humilis Georgi
 * Iris kamelinii Alexeeva
 * Iris mandshurica Maxim.
 * Iris potaninii Maxim.
 * Iris vorobievii N.S.Pavlova

Section Pseudoregelia
 * Iris cuniculiformis Noltie & K.Y.Guan
 * Iris dolichosiphon Noltie
 * Iris goniocarpa Bak.
 * Iris hookeriana Fost.
 * Iris ivanovae Doronkin
 * Iris kemaonensis Wall.
 * Iris leptophylla Lingelsheim
 * Iris narcissiflora Diels.
 * Iris sikkimensis Dykes
 * Iris tigridia Bunge ex Ledeb.

Section Regelia
 * Iris afghanica Wendelbo
 * Iris darwasica Regel
 * Iris heweri Grey-Wilson & Mathew
 * Iris hoogiana Dykes
 * Iris korolkowii Regel
 * Iris kuschkensis Grey-Wilson & Mathew
 * Iris lineata Foster ex Regel
 * Iris stolonifera Maxim.

Subgenus Limniris
Beardless rhizomatous irises It has been generally divided into 2 sections, 'Limniris', which is further divided down to about 16 series and 'Lophiris' (also known as 'Evansias' or crested iris.



Section Limniris (listed in alphabetical order)

Series Californicae Pacific Coast irises
 * Iris bracteata – Siskiyou Iris
 * Iris chrysophylla – Yellow-leaved Iris
 * Iris douglasiana – Douglas Iris
 * Iris fernaldii – Fernald's Iris
 * Iris hartwegii – Hartweg's Iris, Rainbow Iris, Sierra Iris
 * Iris innominata – Del Norte Iris
 * Iris macrosiphon – Bowltube Iris
 * Iris munzii – Munz's Iris, Tulare Lavender Iris
 * Iris purdyi – Purdy's Iris
 * Iris tenax – Tough-leaved Iris, Oregon Iris
 * Iris tenuissima Dykes – (Long-tubed Iris)

Series Chinenses (from east Asia)
 * Iris henryi Baker
 * Iris koreana Nakai
 * Iris minutoaurea Makino
 * Iris odaesanensis Y.N.Lee
 * Iris proantha Diels
 * Iris rossii Baker
 * Iris speculatrix Hance

Series Ensatae
 * Iris lactea Pall.

Series Foetidissimae
 * Iris foetidissima L. – Stinking Iris, Gladwin Iris, Stinking Gladwin, Gladdon, Roast-beef Plant

Series Hexagonae (known as the Louisiana irises)
 * Iris brevicaulis Raf. – Zigzag Iris
 * Iris fulva Ker-Gawl. – Copper Iris
 * Iris giganticaerulea – Giant Blue Iris, Giant Blue Flag
 * Iris hexagona Walt. – Dixie Iris
 * Iris nelsonii Randolph – (Abbeville Iris)
 * Iris savannarum Small – Prairie iris

Series Laevigatae (which includes the Japanese irises)
 * Iris ensata Thunb. – Japanese Iris, hanashōbu (Japanese) (including I. kaempferi)
 * Iris laevigata Fisch – Rabbitear Iris, Shallow-flowered Iris, kakitsubata (Japanese)
 * Iris maackii Maxim.
 * Iris pseudacorus L. – Yellow Iris, Yellow Flag
 * Iris versicolor L. – Larger Blue Flag, Harlequin Blueflag
 * Iris virginica L. – Virginia Iris

Series Longipetalae (Rocky Mountain or long-petaled iris)
 * Iris longipetala Herb. – (Coast Iris)
 * Iris missouriensis – Rocky Mountain Iris, Western Blue Flag

Series Prismaticae (contains just one species from America)
 * Iris prismatica Pursh ex Ker-Gawl. – (Slender Blue Flag)

Series Ruthenicae
 * Iris ruthenica Ker-Gawl.
 * Iris uniflora Pall.

Series Sibiricae (Siberian irises)
 * Iris bulleyana Dykes
 * Iris chrysographes – Black Iris
 * Iris clarkei Baker
 * Iris delavayi Micheli
 * Iris forrestii  Dykes
 * Iris sanguinea Hornem. ex Donn – Blood Iris, ayame (Japanese)
 * Iris sibirica – Siberian Iris
 * Iris typhifolia Kitag.
 * Iris wilsonii C.H.Wright

Series Spuriae
 * Iris brandzae Prod.
 * Iris crocea Jacquem. ex R.C.Foster (including I. aurea)
 * Iris graminea L.
 * Iris halophila Pall.
 * Iris halophila var. sogdiana (Bunge) Grubov
 * Iris kerneriana Asch. & Sint.
 * Iris ludwigii Maxim.
 * Iris notha M.Bieb.
 * Iris orientalis Mill. – (Yellow-banded Iris)
 * Iris pontica Zapal.
 * Iris pseudonotha Galushko
 * Iris sintenisii Janka
 * Iris spuria – Blue Iris
 * Iris spuria subsp. carthaliniae (Fomin) B.Mathew
 * Iris spuria subsp. demetrii (Achv. & Mirzoeva) B.Mathew
 * Iris spuria subsp. maritima (Dykes) P.Fourn.
 * Iris spuria subsp. musulmanica (Fomin) Takht.
 * Iris xanthospuria B.Mathew & T.Baytop

Series Syriacae (species with swollen leaf bases and spiny bristles)
 * Iris grant-duffii Baker
 * Iris masia Foster

Series Tenuifoliae (mostly semi-desert plants)
 * Iris anguifuga  Y.T.Zhao & X.J.Xue
 * Iris bungei Maxim.
 * Iris cathayensis Migo
 * Iris farreri Dykes
 * Iris kobayashii Kitag.
 * Iris loczyi Kanitz
 * Iris qinghainica Y.T.Zhao
 * Iris songarica Schrenk
 * Iris tenuifolia Pall.
 * Iris ventricosa Pall.

Series Tripetalae (mostly having three petals)
 * Iris hookeri  Penny – Hooker's Iris
 * Iris setosa Pallas ex Link – (Beachhead Iris)
 * Iris tridentata Pursh – Savanna Iris

Series Unguiculares
 * Iris lazica Albov
 * Iris unguicularis Poir.

Series Vernae (contains just one species from America)
 * Iris verna L. – Dwarf Violet Iris



Section Lophiris
 * Iris confusa – Bamboo Iris
 * Iris cristata – Crested Iris
 * Iris formosana Ohwi
 * Iris henryi A.Gray
 * Iris japonica Thunb.
 * Iris lacustris – Dwarf Lake Iris
 * Iris latistyla Y.T.Zhao
 * Iris milesii Foster Iris milesii I IMG 6615.jpg'' ]]
 * Iris speculatrix Hance
 * Iris subdichotoma Y.T.Zhao
 * Iris tectorum Maxim. – (Wall Iris)
 * Iris tenuis S.Wats. – (Clackamas Iris)
 * Iris wattii Baker ex Hook.f.

Section Unguiculares
 * Iris lazica Albov
 * Iris unguicularis Poiret

Unplaced hybrids
 * Iris thompsonii R.C.Foster – (Thompson's Iris) (formerly in I. innominata)
 * Iris × robusta E.Anderson. – (Robust Iris) (I. versicolor × I. Virginica)
 * Iris × sancti-cyri J.Rousseau – (Saint-Cyr iris) (I. hookeri × I. versicolor)

Subgenus Xiphium
Smooth-bulbed bulbous irises. Formerly genus Xiphion. Section Xiphium
 * Iris boissieri Henriq
 * Iris filifolia Boiss.
 * Iris juncea Poir.
 * Iris latifolia – English Iris
 * Iris lusitanica Ker Gawl.
 * Iris rutherfordii M Rodriguez,P Vargas,M Carine and S Jury
 * Iris serotina Willk. in Willk. & Lange
 * Iris tingitana Boiss. & Reut. – (Morocco Iris)
 * Iris xiphium syn. Iris x hollandica – Spanish Iris, Dutch Iris, Small Bulbous-rooted Iris

Subgenus Nepalensis
Bulbous irises. Formerly genus Junopsis.

Section Nepalensis
 * Iris collettii Hook.
 * Iris decora Wall.
 * Iris staintonii H Hara
 * Iris barbatula Noltie & Guan

Subgenus Scorpiris
Smooth-bulbed bulbous irises known as "junos". Formerly genus Juno. Section Scorpiris


 * Iris albomarginata R.C.Foster
 * Iris aucheri (Baker) Sealy (including I. sindjarensis)
 * Iris bucharica Foster
 * Iris caucasica Hoffm.
 * Iris cycloglossa Wendelbo
 * Iris drepanophylla Aitch. & Baker
 * Iris fosteriana Aitch. & Baker
 * Iris graeberiana Sealy
 * Iris kuschakewiczii B.Fedtsch
 * Iris magnifica Vved.
 * Iris maracandica (Vved.) Wendelbo
 * Iris narynensis O.Fedtsch.
 * Iris narbutii O.Fedtsch.
 * Iris orchioides Carriere


 * Iris palaestina (Bak.) Boiss.
 * Iris persica L.
 * Iris planifolia (Mill.) Fiori & Paol.
 * Iris postii Mouterde
 * Iris pseudocaucasica Grossh.
 * Iris regis-uzziae Feinbrun
 * Iris rosenbachiana Reg.
 * Iris stenophylla Hausskn ex Baker
 * Iris tubergeniana Foster (Vved)
 * Iris vicaria Vved.
 * Iris warleyensis Foster
 * Iris willmottiana Foster
 * Iris zaprjagajevii Abramov
 * Iris zenaidae Botschant

See more species listed in 'Scorpiris' subgenus.

Subgenus Hermodactyloides
Reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises. Formerly genus Iridodictyum.

Section Hermodactyloides
 * Iris danfordiae (Baker) Boiss.
 * Iris histrio Rchb.f.
 * Iris histrioides (G.F.Wilson) S.Arn.
 * Iris hyrcana Woronow ex Grossh
 * Iris kolpakowskiana Regel
 * Iris pamphylica Hedge
 * Iris pskemensis Ruskans
 * Iris reticulata M Bieb. (includes Iris reticulata var. bakeriana Mathew and Wendelbo )
 * Iris tuberosa L.
 * formerly Hermodactylus tuberosus
 * Iris vartanii Foster
 * Iris winkleri Regel
 * Iris winogradowii Fomin

==Subgenus Pardanthopsis ==
 * Iris dichotoma Pall. (Vesper iris) (was formerly Pardanthopsis)
 * Iris domestica (commonly known as blackberry lily, was once Belamcanda chinensis, but since 2005 now known as Iris domestica)