Helena Lefroy facts for kids

Helena Lefroy (born 1820, died 1908) was an Irish scientist who studied plants. She is famous for finding the only Euphorbia peplis plant ever recorded in Ireland. This plant is also known as purple spurge.

Helena's Early Life

Helena Trench was born on January 27, 1820, in Dublin, Ireland. Her parents were Reverend F.S. Trench and Lady Helena Trench. When Helena was fourteen, her family moved to a place called Kilmorony.

It was there that Helena started to love plants and gardening. Her mother helped her develop this interest. Living with her father, who was a rector, also helped her learn many languages. She became fluent in French, German, and Italian.

Helena's Family Life

In 1844, Helena married Jeffry Lefroy. He was a Dean of Dromore. His father was Thomas Langlois Lefroy, a very important judge in Ireland.

Helena and Jeffry had two sons. These sons later wrote a book about their mother. The book is called 'Helena Lefroy some simple recollections of her life and influence'. You can find this book in the National Library of Ireland.

One of her sons, George Alfred Lefroy, became a Bishop of Calcutta. He was very fond of his mother, Helena.

Discovering the Purple Spurge

Helena Lefroy is best known for finding the purple spurge. This plant is a type of Euphorbia. It usually grows on sandy or gravelly beaches. You can find it in parts of western Europe and northern Africa.

The purple spurge is a small plant that grows close to the ground. It has four stems at its base, usually about 10 to 20 centimeters long. Helena found this rare plant in Tramore, Waterford, in 1839.

The Mystery of the Purple Spurge

After Helena found the purple spurge, other plant scientists tried to find it too. They visited the same area where she made her discovery. However, they could not find any more purple spurge plants.

This made people think the plant was very rare. Some even believed it had become extinct in Ireland. Richard Barrington searched for it in 1870 and 1871. A student from Trinity College, Dublin, named Henry Chichester Hart, also looked in 1882. Neither of them found it. Because of this, the plant was officially listed as extinct in Ireland.

Other Plant Discoveries

Helena also found another plant called Acino vulgare. She discovered this plant near Athy in 1838. Later, in 1840, it was also found in a sandy field at Portmarnock. This discovery was mentioned in a science journal called The Natural History Review.