iris

In anatomy, the coloured muscular diaphragm that controls the size of the pupil in the vertebrate eye. It contains radial muscle that increases the pupil diameter and circular muscle that constricts the pupil diameter. Both types of muscle respond involuntarily to light intensity.

iris

The iris is a plant of northern temperate regions. Most have flattened leaves with large and showy flowers with an equal number of upright and pendulous petals, called standards and falls.

In botany, any of a group of perennial northern temperate flowering plants belonging to the iris family. The leaves are usually sword-shaped; the purple, white, or yellow flowers have three upright inner petals and three outward- and downward-curving sepals. The wild yellow iris is called a flag. (Genus Iris, family Iridaceae.)

Iris

In Greek mythology, the goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods.

She was the daughter of Thaumas and Electra, and sister of the Harpies.

Iris

Opera by Pietro Mascagni (libretto by L Illica), first produced at the Teatro Costanzi, Rome, Italy, on 22 November 1898. Abducted by Osaka and Kyoto, Iris is thrown into Kyoto's brothel. She kills herself when her father finds out.