Iris douglasiana
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Iris douglasiana, the Douglas iris, is a common wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and southern Oregon in the United States.<ref>Template:PLANTS</ref> It grows mainly at lower elevations, below Template:Convert, though it is occasionally found at heights of up to Template:Convert. It is most common in grasslands near the coast.
Consumption may cause severe discomfort.<ref name = RHSPF/>
This is a typical beardless iris of subgenus Limniris, series Californicae, growing from a rhizome that is typically less than a centimeter in diameter. Its leaves are about Template:Convert wide. The flowers, appearing from April to June, are usually a purplish-blue, though occasionally white or yellow flowers are found. Two or three flowers are found on each stem, which is of variable height, ranging from Template:Convert tall.
Taxonomy
It was first described by 19th century botanist David Douglas in Monterey, California.
It was first published by the british botanist William Herbert in 'Bot. Beechey Voy.' 9 on page 395 in 1840.<ref name="POWO"/>
Several varieties have been recognized, for example Iris douglasiana var. altissima Template:Au and Iris douglasiana var. oregonensis Template:Au, but the species is highly variable and the varieties may not be well enough defined to be of much practical use. The Douglas iris hybridizes freely with several other species; its natural hybrid with I. innominata has been designated as Iris ×thompsonii Template:Au, and the garden hybrid with the same species as Iris ×aureonympha Template:Au.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref name = RHSPF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>