{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{redirect|Black iris|the 1926 painting by Georgia O'Keeffe|Black Iris (painting)}} {{Speciesbox |image = Iris chrysographes 138-8433.jpg |image_caption = |genus = Iris |display_parents = 3 |parent = Iris ser. Sibiricae |species = chrysographes |authority = Dykes |synonyms = {{Species list | Iris dykesii | Stapf | Limniris chrysographes |(Dykes) Rodion. | Limniris dykesii |(Stapf) Rodion.}} |synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |title=Iris chrysographes Dykes is an accepted name |date= 23 March 2012 |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-321693 |publisher=theplantlist.org |accessdate=13 December 2014}}</ref> }}

'''''Iris chrysographes''''', the '''black iris''', is a plant species that belongs to the genus ''Iris''. It is native to Southern China and Myanmar (Burma),<ref>{{cite web |title=A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Volume 45: 1-590. |url=http://botany.si.edu/myanmar/PDF/Kachin.pdf |accessdate=24 July 2015}}</ref> growing in meadows, streamsides, hillsides and forest margins.<ref name = FoC>{{cite web | url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200028158 | title = Iris chrysographes | publisher = Flora of China | accessdate = 3 September 2019}}</ref>

Other irises with black flowers include ''Iris nigricans'' (the national flower of Jordan), ''Iris petrana'', ''Iris atrofusca'', ''Iris atropurpurea'', ''Iris susiana'', and some varieties of ''Iris germanica''.

==Classification== Horticultural classification: Sino-Siberian Iris, Beardless Iris.

==Description== ''Iris chrysographes'' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes. The leaves are linear and greyish green, and up to {{convert|70|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The hollow flowering stems, {{convert|25-30|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, bear slightly scented flowers in early summer. These are reddish violet to very dark violet, almost velvety black, and 6–9&nbsp;cm in diameter. The outer tepals, or falls, usually have narrow golden yellow central stripes. After flowering, the leaves die down, leaving the rhizome in the earth for a dormant period until the autumn, when it sprouts into new growth.

===Toxicity=== All parts of the plant can cause indigestion if consumed.<ref name = RHSPF/>

==Cultivation== ''Iris chrysographes'' requires a neutral or acid soil, in full sun. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, {{convert|-20|C|F|abbr=on}}. Propagation is by seeds or division in the spring. Cultivars cannot be reliably grown from seed, and must be divided. For cooler areas plants do best if planted in the spring.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref name =RHSPF>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Iris chrysographes''|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/9222/Iris-chrysographes/Details|publisher=Royal Horticultural Society|accessdate=19 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 53 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | accessdate = 13 March 2018}}</ref>

===Cultivars=== Some cultivars are grown, mainly "black" flowered clones under names such as 'Black Beauty', 'Black Knight',<ref>{{cite web |title=Iris chrysographes Black Knight |url=http://www.hessenhof.nl/al/i021.html |publisher=hessenhof.nl|accessdate=17 July 2015}}</ref> 'Black' (syn. 'Black Form', an invalid name), 'Ellenbank Nightshade', [https://web.archive.org/web/20071115041447/http://www.stauder.net/bildearkiv/Iris%20chrysographes.jpg 'Stjerneskud'] and 'Kew Black'. [http://planteliste.net/slides/iris_chrysographes_rubella.html 'Rubella'] is purplish violet.

''Iris chrysographes'' has been used in a number of hybrids with other species.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120206003724/http://www.badbear.com/signa/signa.pl?Iris-chrysographes Iris species database: ''Iris chrysographes''] * [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200028158 Flora of China: ''Iris chrysographes'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1536172}}

chrysographes Category:Flora of Myanmar Category:Flora of South-Central China Category:Garden plants of Asia