Iris

The iris is another one of those flowers that carries multiple meanings. Some of the first katagami depict stylized iris to decorate the laces on samurai armor. Later, the iris became erotica, suggesting female sexual anatomy. Look at #31008 Giant Iris in Stripes. The blades of grass marked by dew represent male sexuality. In the pattern they act as a stripe , partially obscuring the unfolding petals of the flowers. Some of the best Art Nouveau patterns are iris; repeated vertical stems are punctuated by arcing leaves countered by the lacy flower petals unfurling. There are so many examples (91 in the collection) that the iris also serves as a good way to look at abundant variation on a motif in Japanese design.