NEN Gallery

The yellow flag or Iris is a plant 40-150 tall, which arises from a stout rhizome with sword shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers with purple veins. The flower has parts in threes. The petals and sepals are both yellow. The three styles are also petal-like forming the uppermost crested part of the flower. It grows in fens, marshes, wet meadows, by and in shallow fresh water and flowers May to July. In the autumn the green seed capules split to reveal brown seeds. The word Iris is greek for 'rainbow'. The plant is mainly pollinated by bees. Picture taken at Bromham, Bedfordshire 7th June 2006.