Naus’nitsaruak
Iris setosa Pall.
Plant
A medium-sized plant characterized by showy blue to purplish flowers and a thick rootstock. Its long, thin, flat leaves arise primarily from the base of its rounded stem. Wild iris grows in meadows, bogs, and along shores and commonly occurs in moist to wet ground.
CAUTION: Wild iris is poisonous and should not be ingested.
Medicine: Historic sources report that Alutiiq people used an infusion of wild iris root as a laxative.
Lore: Picking wild iris flowers causes rain.
