8o Tall Bearded Iris 



The common Flower-de-luce hath large flaggie leaves. 



Gerarde: Herball. {i6th Cent.) 



The narrow leaved Zeros, his flagges be long and narrowe. 



Dodoens: Herhall. Tr. by H . Lyte. 



Sweetest Iris beareth shortest flagges. 



T. Moufet: Silkworms . 



Oh beautiful Iris, unfurling your purple and gold. 

 What victory fling you abroad in the flags you unfold.'' 

 ***** 



Flutter your gonfalons, Iris, the psean I sing, 



Is for victory better than joy or than beauty can bring. 



Celia Thaxter: A Thanksgiving. 



For I am become as the balmiest, stormiest zephyr 



of spring. 

 With manifold beads of the marvelous dew and the rain 



to string 

 On the bended strands of the blossoms, blown 

 And tossed and tousled and overthrown. 

 And shifted and whirled, and lifted unfurled 

 In the victory of the blossoming 

 Of the Flags of the flowery world. 



Riley: Passing of a Zephyr. 



Irises in the olden-time gardens were sometimes 

 known as "Flags". 



