HIST: Polling for Survivors

Greetings.

The Fall 2005 ROOTS arrived a couple of days ago and there is a piece in 
there by Phil Edinger speaking of his role in trying to clear up some varietal ID 
problems for the members. He noted that " 'Alcazar', 'Lent A.Williamson', 
'Indian Chief,' and 'Alta California' [...] seem to be all over the country."

Now, I once asked the HIPS membership in ROOTS what they saw in the way of 
historic Irises growing in their part of the world, not in the gardens of the 
Iris folks as such, but in other gardens, or along the roadsides in the country, 
or near falling down houses or barns, or in the cemetaries, or in areas of 
urban decay, or vacant lots, you know, non-native Irises which tend to be sort 
of common in an area, and when seen are more or less taking care of themselves. 
I've always assumed there was at least one or two of these in most places, 
and the Iris folks might know the names of a few.

Maybe I was wrong, though, since I got virtually no response to that question 
as posed in ROOTS. But I'd still like to know, and maybe someone else would 
be interested as well.

Suppose, just maybe to prime the pump, I start with Edinger's four, and 
mention the names of some I'd consider possible candidates because they are pretty 
distinctive, pretty well known, and they got some circulation? Maybe someone 
will take a moment to tell me whether they have noticed any of these things 
around their neck of the woods.

Alcazar, Lent A. Williamason, Alta California, Indian Chief, Flavescens, I. 
pallida in one form or another, Quaker Lady, Mme. Chereau, Thais, Honorabile, 
Gracchus, Pumila Atroviolacea, Florentina, Swerti, Fairy, Albicans, Wabash, 
Crimson King, Sambucina, Mildred Presby, Loreley, Ola Kala, Miss California, 
Helen Collingwood, Accent, Rosy Wings, Louvois, Great Lakes, Shah Jehan, Her 
Majesty, Snow Flurry, Mulberry Rose, Ramses, and some pleasant two toned 
blue-violet of I. germanica.

There are others, of course. And any name would be interesting on a sleety 
day in February. Brain candy, as it were. But we could also think of it as 
documenting something.

Cordially,

Anner Whitehead
Richmond VA USA 

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