Scientific name: Iris foetidissima L.
Common name: Stinking Iris, Gladdon
Description
Habit: Rhizomatous; stems to 80(-90)cm, branched, with a single longitudinal ridge, bearing 3-4 leaves.
Leaves: Subterete or 4-angled, flat, evergreen, 10-25mm wide, dark green, unpleasant-smelling when bruised; basal leaves 30-70cm x 10-25mm.
Flowers: In short, terminal and axillary cymes; actinomorphic; tepals united proximally into perianth-tube; outer tepals usually longer and wider than the inner tepals, patent, recurved or reflexed, with a narrow proximal part (claw) and an expanded distal part (blade); inner tepals usually erect, less differentiated into blade and claw; filaments free, borne at base of outer tepals; style with 3 long, broad, petaloid branches each with 2 lobes at apex beyond stigma, style branches pale yellow, each covering a stamen; flowers 8cm across, dull purple tinged with yellow (rarely entirely pale yellow).
Fruits: Capsule 4-7cm, oblong-ellipsoid; seeds bright orange-scarlet, globose, long-persistent in dehisced capsule, 5-7mm.
Habitat: Banks, thickets and sandy shores.
Distribution: Rather rare.
Native status: Not Native
Of conservation interest: No