Difference: HybridizerBerrySamuel (r24 vs. r23)

Hybridizer Samuel Stillman Berry (1887-1984)

Samuel Stillman Berry, Ph.D., was a Zoologist, Botonist, Plant Collector, and Horticulturalist educated at Stanford and Harvard. Berry was a world renowned expert in mollusks, describing and naming more than 160 molluscan species. His parents were early homesteaders in Montana, developing one of the largest ranches in the state (Winnecook Ranch near Harlowton). Because of fragile health, Berry did not live on his parents' ranch; spending most of his life in Redlands,California. He did, however, serve as President of the ranch for 67 years and its success allowed him to pursue his scientific interests. He had an extensive botanical garden in Redlands where he hybridized daffodils and iris. The Redlands Daily Facts (newspaper) once described Berry as "the sort of person the world comes to see," and detailed some of the numerous scientists from around the world who visited Berry in his home. Berry's first registered iris was the Tall Bearded "Jacinto" in 1924. It was a cross between the species I. mesopotamica and Vilmorin's 'Isoline'. He continued to use 'I. mesopotamica' for at least five other registrations, and continued to introduce new irises through the 1930's and 1940's. Berry was said to have been known for his careful descriptions of color despite being color blind. Berry was perhaps the first person to cross a Pacific Coast native iris with I lactea producing the Species Hybrid 'Hamadryad'. The AIS 1939 Iris Check List credits Berry with introducing 'I. wattii' to commerce. Berry's many honors include being named Honorary Life President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was honored at a conference of Malacologists in San Diego in 1975 as dean of American Malacologists. -John T. Black-

Registrations/Introductions:

Arilbred: 'Child of Lebanon'; 'Raspberry', 'Smidgen'.

Intermediate Bearded: 'Candlebeam', 'Colonial', 'Copperwing', 'Galaxy', 'Snow Sprite', 'Taffy'.

Louisiana: 'Cacique', 'Sagamore'.

Miniature Dwarf Bearded: 'Midnight'.

Pacific Coast Native: 'Hamadryad'.

Siberian: 'Whitehill'.

Species: 'December Joy', 'Halophila Lutea', 'Unguicularis Violacea', 'Uwodu'.

-- Main.RPries - 2012-05-18