Massonia taxonomy - new species

[Paul Cumbleton]

The botanists at the University of Graz in Austria have recently published a couple of new papers in their on-going endeavour to sort out the taxonomy of Massonias. In one they describe a new species, M. dentata and clarify the status of another (new to me), M. calvata. The paper is in Phytotaxa 175 (4): 201–215, title "Massonia dentata (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new species from the Nuweveldberge, and typification of the Sneeuberg endemic M. calvata (southern Great Escarpment, South Africa)"

Here I would like to concentrate on the second paper as this is really useful. The paper is in Phytotaxa 181 (3): 121–137 entitled: "Massonia amoena (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a striking new species from the Eastern Cape, South Africa". In cultivation, two plants have been widely circulated under the name of Massonia jasminiflora. I had always found it hard to accept that these could be the same species as they look strikingly different in general and have lots of differences in detail. One has pustulate leaves and flowers whose petals reflex right back against the flower tube (once fully developed). The other plant has plain, non-pustulate leaves and flowers whose petals hold themselves out at roughly 90 degrees to the flower tube.

The botanists have now separated off the former (pustulate-leaved) plant and described it as a new species, M. amoena. The other (plain-leaved) plant is the true M. jasminiflora. Below I show pictures comparing both leaves and flowers of the two. The differences are pretty obvious (and there are many more described in the paper, not least of which is that they have very different distributions in the wild).

Sometimes I struggle to agree with some of the many name changes that come our way, but this is one that makes a whole lot of sense to me. I have myself distributed and sold both plants widely, both (reluctantly) under the name M. jasminiflora. If you agree with the new taxonomy, then maybe you want to update your labels.

Paul

Massonia amoena and Massonia jasminiflora compared:

[SJW]

Thanks for taking the time to report on these taxonomic developments, Paul. It's really useful to know - now where's my marker pen...

[Afloden]

Then there are M. citrina published last year and M. saniensis published this year. I wish I had access to these papers.... and to the plants!

Along with a few Amaryllids and Ledebouria, Massonia's are one of a few genera I'll devote space to in my greenhouse.

[Darren]

Thank you for posting this Paul.

I agree with you (and the paper). I've grown M. amoena, originally from from Penrock seeds (as M. jasminiflora 'pustulate leaf form') for many years and it really is very different from the plain leaved jasminiflora. Also, unlike jasminiflora  - the flowers actually smell rather unpleasant to me, especially when fading.

On this occasion I will be updating labels.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Another name clarification is that Gordon Summerfield sold seed, catalogue number 3681, as Massonia jasminiflora which he described as a new pustulate and hairy form from Nieuwouldtville. As we have seen, true Massonia jasminiflora does not have pustulate leaves. But neither is this plant the new M. amoena. It turns out this plant is actually Massonia tenella. I have had this confirmed by the botanists who published the paper on M. amoena.

Again I have shared and sold plants from this seed, so another label change for any of you who got this from me or who grew seed yourselves from Gordon. Sorry! - but we are at the mercy of the botanists here!

Paul

[Maggi Young]

I am sure many are grateful to you Paul, not just for sharing the news of the new papers  but also for explaining what plants may in the past have been distributed under other names.  The very clear differences in the amoena /jasiniflora  case  are such that I imagine even the most reluctant gardeners are happy to change their labels - it's amazing how good a reaction can be to a compelling and visible reason, isn't it?!

[Hans J]

Before some days I have received a new paper with a first description of a new Massonia :

Massonia thunbergiana (Hyacinthaceae-Hyacinthoideae),
a new species from the Cold Heart of South Africa
By
Wolfgang Wetschnig*), Mario Martínez-Azorín and Michael Pinter

If anybody is interested please write me a PM
Hans