Iris atropurpurea, Coastal Iris,
Hebrew: איריס הארגמן, Arabic: السوسن، آحيلة الكلب

Scientific name:		Iris atropurpurea Dinsmore
Common name:		Coastal Iris
Hebrew name:		אירוס הארגמן
Arabic name:		السوسن، آحيلة الكلب
Family:		Iridaceae, אירוסיים

Life form:		Geophyte
Stems:		Rhizome moderately stout; 15-25 cm high
Leaves:		Alternate, rosette, linear, glaucescent, falcate, entire, smooth
Flowers:		Red, brown; 3 upright petals (standards), 3 large, pendent or spreading petals, (falls); Sepals have a broad yellow beard and a signal patch that is a deeper color than the sepal background
Fruits / pods:		Capsule
Flowering Period:		January, February, March, April
Habitat:		Sand
Distribution:		The Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands
Summer shedding:		ephemeral

Derivation of the botanical name: Iris, ιριϛ, ιδοϛ, rainbow; female messenger, announcer of the gods, the Greek goddess of the rainbow. atropurpurea, atro, black, sable, dark, gloomy; purpurea, purple coloured; meaning dark purple. The Hebrew name: אירוס, iris, transliteration from the scientific name. The standard author abbreviation Dinsmore is used to indicate John Edward Dinsmore (1862 - 1951), who moved from Maine to Jerusalem in the 1890's to join a Protestant commune called The American Colony. Oncocyclus is a section within the Subgenus Iris. Oncocyclus, Greek onco, swollen; with a circular swelling; refers to the fleshy aril on the seeds of these plants. The flowers offer no nectar reward. A number of species of medium-sized bees provide pollination services. Pollinators of Iris atropurpurea are night-sheltering male solitary bees, honey-bees and female solitary bees. Apis mellifera, the Western honey bee, is the most frequent diurnal visitor to Iris atropurpurea. Link: Iris Nature Reserve Netanya 2007 Link: Iris Nature Reserve Netanya 2008 Link: The Irises Dora Rainpool nature park, Netanya, January 26, 2012