1874. J 
IRIS KiEMPFERI EDWARD GEORGE HENDERSON. 
217 
IRIS K^MPFERI EDWARD GEORGE HENDERSON. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
^ c. Undoubtedly in tHs so-called double form of Japanese Iris, we have 
one of the most remarkable flowers to be found in our gardens. Iris 
Kcempferi is a Japanese plant, introduced by Siebold, and is so closely 
allied to I. Umigata^ that it may be regarded as either identical with or a 
variety of that species. Many fine varieties exist, both in the Dutch nurseries 
and in those of this country, but ordinarily the flowers have the usual ternary 
composition which is familiar in other species of the genus. In the present form, 
which bears the name of Edward George Henderson, and in some others to 
which the term “ double ” is applied, the broad spreading floral segments are 
duplicated, so that, being six instead of three, a large round full flower is produced, 
which is scarcely at first recognisable as that of an Iris. The rich purple colour, 
too, makes 'it in this case very striking in appearance, and remarkably showy in 
character. 
We are indebted to Messrs. E. G. Henderson and Son, of the Wellington-Road 
Nursery, St. John’s Wood, for the opportunity of figuring this plant, which was 
shown in fine condition at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, held 
on July 1st, when a First-class Certificate was awarded to it. As a garden flower, 
few plants can vie with this novel form of Iris, which, in the size of its blossoms 
and their deep purple colour, may be compared (as was actually the case) with 
the well-known Clematis Jackmanni; but instead of being -wholly purple, each of 
the segments is lighted up towards the base with a bold flame of rich golden 
yellow. This combination of deep violet-purple and gold gives a remarkably 
rich appearance to the flowers. The plant is rather tall and spare, and the usual 
sword-shaped leaves somewhat narrow, but these peculiarities are abundantly 
compensated by the size and individual beauty of the blossoms. 
In reference to the structure of this remarkable flower, we quote the following 
passages from an article in the Gardeners' Chronicle (1874, ii., 45), where a 
woodcut illustration is given :— 
“ It is surprising to see how many persons are capable of recognising beauty 
of form and colour, and yet do not perceive that higher beauty—beauty of pur¬ 
pose and adaptation. They see a botanist picking a flower to pieces, and they 
think it little less than sacrilege. They laugh at his ‘ barbarous binomials ’ and 
uncouth expressions, but they do not realise all the time that he has, what they 
have not, a keen sense of delight in reverently tracing, so far as his faculties 
permit, the purpose and plan of the Creator, as manifested in the humblest weed. 
“ To the arrangement of the floral segments in the variety of Iris called by 
the name of Edward George Henderson^ we may, therefore, briefly allude, as it 
is of considerable interest, both from the florist’s and from the botanist’s point of 
view. 
“ In Irises in general we have the flower composed of six coloured segments, 
3rd series. -VII. u 
