Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands
Iris
Bílátahyígaii
(a.k.a. Blue flag, Flag lily. Liver lily)
Western blue flag, the iris species found in Navajo rangelands, is a perennial herb, usually evergreen and growing from a creeping, tuberous rhizome. Rhizomes on blue flag are between 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, quite large for a native iris. The leaves are 1/8 to 3/8 inch wide, long and linear with parallel venation. They are sometimes purplish. Stems are 8 to 20 inches tall and sometimes branched. Blossoms of this iris species are pale lilac to whitish with lilac-purple veins.
The roots have been used to treat toothaches and to make a green dye.
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