What is "iris germanica"

Flower-de-luce \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.

Iris x germanica is the accepted name for a species of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae commonly known as the Bearded iris or the German iris. It is one of a group of hybrid origin.