THANKS so much for your suggestions.  I have seen GYPSY ROMANCE in a friend's garden.  It is quite a memorable iris, but I never remembered seeing the branching on it that my bro-in-law's stalk had.

On the other hand, I personally have ROSETTE WINE.  Funny I admit that now, I know, but the truth would be that it's only bloomed once in the last decade.  (Wow, that sounds like a long time. {!})  

SOOOO, thanks to Bob Pries and the MANY people who put together the iris wiki and Dave's Garden, as well as the invaluable Iris Register, I think the best swing for me would be to guess that the iris is Rosette Wine.  

Of course, as every discerning irisarian should do, I will send a rhizome of my Rosette Wine to Beau-Jon, so he can grow it near his "unknown" and see if it blooms identical to what he currently has growing in his garden.  

I just can't believe those 9 or 10 buds on that stalk of his ..... and the BRANCHING.  Man!  I'm trying to get that in my seedlings!  Gonna have to baby along my RW now .... 

:-)

Brock, I really missed having a chat with you, too!  Judging an iris show is more work that I thought.  I was really in the "zone" and before I knew it, but bus left and you guys were gone!   Thankfully, we had a GREAT turnout of public to the show, as well, and I got to associate more with people rather than the flowers. ;-)  

Margie, how was your show this year?  Did you exhibit?  Was it at the mall?

Adam~