■(MTB) 'Honorabile'

1840, Lémon

'Honorabile' (Jean-Nicolas Lémon, 1840). MTB, Midseason bloom. Color Class Y9M, red and yellow variegata.

Note: the iris called 'Honorabile' is actually 'Sans Souci'. According to both French sources from the 1840s, 'Honorabile' has RED falls not mahogany brown as later American sources describe it. Moreover, the red zone is a solid color not veined, as Séraphin Mottet observed it.

See below:

• References
• Synonyms

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References

Lémon, Annales de Flore et de Pomone, 1839-1840, p. 367. S. golden yellow, F. yellow with streaks at the base and red at the top with a yellow border. 50-70 cm/20-27". LEMAIRE Ch., Iris, L'Horticulteur Universel, 1845, Tome VI, p. 189; S. golden yellow, F. yellow with streaks at the base and an elegant red border at the top. Very long lasting flowers.
From: Cornell Bulletin 112 (June 1925): HONORABILE (Lemon, 1840). Color effect, a yellow, red-brown bicolor. Standards light cadmium yellow. falls mahogany red. on bronzed yellow ground, flecked deeper. The color is lighter along the dense, orange beard. The coloring in the falls is less intense and solid some seasons, while in others it becomes so intense that it is almost velvety. The plant is a vigorous grower, producing many small to fair-sized flowers. It is a very old sort, found in most early plantings and masqueraded under many names. The most common synonyms are 'Sans Souci', 'Brilliant', and 'Rebecca'. The newer variety, 'Fro', is much preferred today, tho many still retain 'Honorabile' for its color contrasts and its historic past. Rating is too low at 40. Also known as 'Honorable' in France.
From: The Iris That Lost Its Name (Clarence Mahan): "Seraphin Mottet was not just another nurseryman or iris breeder. He was widely regarded as one of the two or three most knowledgeable authorities on irises in the world. He grew both HONORABILE and SANS SOUCI for the firm Vilmorin-Andrieux et Cie. In the article "Classification des Variétiés d'Iris des Jardins in Les Iris Cultivés, which was published in 1923, Mottet proposed a new system for classifying garden irises based on color. You can check out the Color Classification chart mentioned here at the end of the 1929 Checklist Introduction posted in the Reading Room Mottet's system had eight color classes with subclasses. Mottet's Class VII was for variegata-type irises. The first two subclasses in Class VII were for irises with pale yellow standards. One of these subclasses was for irises with pale yellow standards an falls with distinct veins, and as example given by Mottet was GRACCHUS. The second subclass described irises with pale yellow standards and solid-colored falls. Mottet cited LORELEY as an iris belonging to this subclass. The third subclass of Mottet's Class VII was for irises with dark yellow standards and distinctly veined falls. Mottet assigned SANS SOUCI to this subclass. Mottet placed HONORABILE in his fourth subclass for irises with dark yellow standards and solid-colored falls. Thus, according to Mottet, the distinguishing color characteristic of SANS SOUCI and HONORABILE is whether the falls have distinct veins or whether they are solid-colored. If the falls have veining, the iris is SANS SOUCI." A remembrance article by F. Lesourd may be found in the AIS Bulletin #36(July 1930), pp 12-14.

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Synonyms

Honorabilis.

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Interested in Miniature Tall Beardeds? Please visit the: Medianiris Society website.

Interested in Historic Irises ? Please visit the: Historic Iris Society website.

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Interested in French irises ? Please visit: Société Française des Iris et plantes Bulbeuses - SFIB | website (french language).

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-- BetsyHiggins - 2010-03-13

• According to Clarence Mahan, Honorabile should have solid-colored falls. His contention is that iris called Honorabile with veined falls are actually Sans Souci. See his HIPS article: http://www.hips-roots.com/articles/iris-that-lost-name.html

Are the photos here all really Sans Souci? -- JeanRichter - 02 May 2013