Irises have been called Fleur-de-lis since they became the heraldic emblem of the Kings of France. Douglas iris, Iris douglasiana, the most common iris of the Pacific Coast, has a range from California to Oregon.
California Indians used their thumbnails or abalone shells to scrape the leaves for the fibers. These they twisted into string
which they used to make fishing nets, snares and bags. Ropes made with iris cord were twisted into a lasso at one end and set over trails to catch deer.7 Some tribes wrapped their babies with iris leaves to protect them from dehydration when they had to spend time in hot areas.
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