\Flow"er-de-luce"\, n. [Corrupted fr.
fleur-de-lis.] (Bot.)
A genus of perennial herbs ({Iris}) with swordlike leaves and
large three-petaled flowers often of very gay colors, but
probably white in the plant first chosen for the royal French
emblem.

Note: There are nearly one hundred species, natives of the
      north temperate zone. Some of the best known are {Iris
      Germanica}, {I. Florentina}, {I. Persica}, {I.
      sambucina}, and the American {I. versicolor}, {I.
      prismatica}, etc.