The plant commonly referred to as Mexican Shellflower is a bulbous, herbaceous perennial indigenous to a wide swathe of Mexico and parts of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, and it has become naturalized in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. This species, belonging to the iris family, is noted for its summer-blooming character, featuring three-petaled flowers that come in a variety of colors, all with striking, contrasting central markings. These flowers are diurnal, unfurling early in the morning and closing by dusk​​. The bulbs are edible. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.