Bearded Irises and Flag Irises

What's the difference between bearded irises and flag irises I hear you* ask?
All irises (named the latin for 'rainbow' because they come in so many colours) have six petals.  Three stand up - the 'Standards', and three point down - the 'Falls'.

Flag irises are types of non-bearded irises.
Most common in gardens are the German bearded Irises (Iris germaninca).  They have a fuzzy 'beard' on top of each of the falls.

Here's a bearded iris in a rich browny plum:

'Granny's' bicolour', 'plicata' bearded iris from Ngaio Street.
('Bicolour' because the falls are a different or darker colour to the standards.
'Plicata' because there are stippled, dotted or stitched lines darker on a lighter ground.)

Granny's bearded iris in my garden.

A 'haft' showing above the beard, between the 'standards'.  It is connected to the top of a 'fall'.

A 'self' coloured bearded iris showing what 'luminata' means - there are no 'plicata' marks.
'Self' coloured is one solid colour.

 
Bearded irises are catagorised based on size. Varieties of Bearded Iris:
 Miniature Dwarf Bearded Iris
Dwarf Bearded Iris
Intermediate Bearded Iris
Border Bearded Iris
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris
Tall Bearded Iris

The beardless irises have no fuzz. Varieties of Beardless Iris:
Siberian Iris
Japanese Iris
Louisiana Iris
Dutch Iris
Blue Flag Iris
Yellow Flag Iris

Siberian Iris Iris sibirica 'Butter and Sugar'
Like most of the siberian irises,
this has very well-behaved leaves
which form a tidy clump when not in bloom.
Image from here

Japanese Iris - there are three kinds, but outside Japan, I. ensata is usually the one referred to.  Distinctively flat-topped with short standards.

Japanese iris, Iris ensata 'Chitose'
Image by naruo0720

Louisiana Irises (I. hexagonae).  There are five species native to Louisiana.  Most of them like damp feet.

Here is one.

Iris nelsonii.
Image from, and specialist discussion here about this group

 Blue and yellow flags also prefer damp ground.  You can see the standards lie flatter and the hafts are more obvious.

Iris versicolor, or blue flag.
(Origin: North America)
Image from here

Iris pseudocorus or yellow flag.
(Origin: Europe, North Africa, Britain)
Image from here

Finally, two more of the approximately 300 species to be found world-wide.
The stunning Black Iris of Burma:

Iris Chrysographes, or black iris
(Origin: South China and Myanmar)
Photo from here

And a very ruffled Tall Bearded iris:

 Iris Germanica 'Sea Power'
Image from here.

Another view of the bearded iris my daughter bought me a few years ago.

If you want to learn all the iris terminology, here's a good list
And here are some more lovely arty images of irises from all around the world.

* This post is mostly for my benefit, and that of my daughter who has recently moved into a lovely old house and has renewed interest in irises.  But I hope you enjoyed it too!