Henry John Elwes, FRS (16 May 1846 – 26 November 1922) was a British botanist, entomologist, author, lepidopterist, collector and traveller who became renowned for collecting specimens of lilies during trips to the Himalaya and Korea.

He visited various parts of the world studying aspects of natural history including ornithology, botany, entomology and big game.

[4] He combined horticulture with entomology and big game hunting with estate management and raising prize-winning show livestock, and sitting on the district council.

[5] In 1870, after achieving a diploma in biology with a thesis in natural history, Elwes was made a member of a mission organised by the Geographical Section of the British Association which would take the party through to the Sikkim Himalaya, crossing the border into then-forbidden Tibet.

In early April, whilst in the mountains near Smyrna (modern İzmir), he came across "the fine large snowdrop which now bears my name" (Galanthus elwesii).

Horticulturalist and garden writer Edward Augustus Bowles noted that he was specially interested in Arisaema, Crinum, Crocus, Fritillaria and Iris, as well as Kniphofia, Paeonia and Yucca.

[1][10] In 1920 James John Joicey acquired the "extensive collection of Lepidoptera, (nearly 11370 specimens) with the exception of the Indo-Australian Moths and types of the Palaearctic species, formed by H. J.

Between March 1877 and May 1880 subscribers received seven parts (at a total cost of seven guineas), illustrated with 48 plates by Walter Hood Fitch (1817–1892).

[13] Shortly before his death in 1922, Elwes asked Arthur Grove, a friend and fellow lily expert, to undertake the task of producing a supplement.

From 1900 to 1913 Elwes undertook his greatest work, The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland, in conjunction with the botanist Augustine Henry.

Between them, in seven large volumes, they described every species of tree then grown outdoors in the British Isles, and recorded the finest specimens to be seen.