Family Iridaceae, composed of about 1,700 species of perennial herbaceous plants, as well as a few shrubs, in some 80 genera.
It is known for ornamentals such as irises (genus Iris ), gladioli (see gladiolus ), crocus es, and freesia s. Irises have swordlike, smooth leaves and bear showy flowers in a great variety of colours and sizes on a smooth stem. Most abundant and diverse in Africa, they are found nearly worldwide across temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones. The underground stems may be rhizome s (e.g., New World Iris species), Iris species), or {{link=corm">corm s (e.g., Gladiolus ).