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 very 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.