| Iris florentina | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris subg. Iris |
| Section: | Iris sect. Pogon |
| Species: | I. florentina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Iris florentina | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Iris filifolia 'Florentina' [1] | |
The identity of the plant first described by Carl Linnaeus as Iris florentina remains unclear, as of December 2021[update]. In horticulture, it has been treated as a white-flowered variant of Iris × germanica, under names such as Iris germanica nothovar. florentina, Iris × germanica var. florentina and Iris × germanica 'Florentina'. Iris florentina has also been treated as the correct name for the true species also known as Iris albicans Lange.
It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions almost worldwide and is a rhizomatous perennial from southern Europe, mainly Italy (including the city of Florence) and France. It has a thick violet-scented rhizome, sword-like green or grey-green semi-evergreen leaves, a tall branched stem, and many flowers that are white and tinged or flushed with blue, pale blue, or lavender in spring or summer, and a white and yellow beard. It is also grown to produce orris-root, a scented substance used in perfumes, soaps, tooth cleanser, and clothes washing powder. Medicinally it was used as an expectorant and decongestant. It is made from the rhizomes of Iris florentina, Iris germanica and Iris pallida. The flower is commonly attributed with the fleur-de-lis.