Fleur De Lis Heraldic Lily

The heraldic lily is a common figure in heraldry, consisting of three stylized leaves held together by a band. The central leaf is pointed at the top and bottom, the outer leaves droop and are bent outward at the top. The mark is a stylized iris, which is botanically only distantly related to the lily (Lilium). With the "band" usually depicted around the petals, the heraldic lily is called girdled; if it is missing, it is not girdled. Other variants of the heraldic lily have received independent names. If the lily lacks the central petal, it is called mutilated blazoned; the same term is used when only the lower part of the central petal is missing. Often the central leaf is also replaced by other symbols such as a cross or a stemmed flower and must be described. If the outer leaves are missing below the girdle, it is an Arabian lily. In French heraldry, the lily is known as Fleur-de-Lys or Fleur-de-Lis ("lily flower, lily blossom, French lily") and is in special reference to France as probably the best known symbol of the French monarchy.