(Iris willmottiana)
Iris willmottiana is a species in the genus Iris, in the subgenus Scorpiris. It is a bulbous perennial, from Uzbekistan in central Asia. It has green broad leaves, short stems, large flowers in various shades of blue. Iris willmottiana is very similar in form to that of Iris caucasica. Sharing similar size, shape, leaf margin but having smaller flowers. It has thickened roots, and it has broad leaves that are glossy lustrous green, that appear in May. The leaves also have a thin white margin on the edges. It generally grows to a height of between 15–25 cm (6–10 in) tall, in late spring or early summer. It has between 2 - 6 flowers on a short stem. The large flowers (about 6–7 cm in diameter), come in various shades of blue, from intense cobalt blue, pale lavender-blue, pale purple, to light purple. The flowers are also blotched with white, and flecked with deep lavender-purple. The falls have a large white area and white crest or central ridge with purple marks. The standards are about 1.5 cm long. Iris is a genus of 260–300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris. Some authors state that the name refers to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species. 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. Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3–10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.