Gynandriris sisyrinchium (Iris sisyrinchium) - Barbary Nut

Phylum: Anthophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Asparagales - Family: Iridaceae

The Barbary nut, which looks very much like any other iris except that it is much lower-growing, occurs close to the coast throughout the Mediterranean but is also found in sandy margins of fields and on waysides. The pretty blue flowers are short-lived, opening around midday but closing again in the evening and not re-opening the following day. This member of the family Iridaceae is very common.

The specimens shown here were photographed close to the coast in the Algarve region of Portugal in February.