Alstroemeria achirae?

[Diane Whitehead]

This is from seed from the AGS 2007 exchange.

I can't even find a photo of achirae online which suggests it is very rare.

This looks like aurea.  Is it?

[TheOnionMan]

This is from seed from the AGS 2007 exchange.

I can't even find a photo of achirae online which suggests it is very rare.

This looks like aurea.  Is it?

Diane, I just searched on IPNI.ORG, and this is a recently described species (year 2000) probably accounting for the paucity of images available on the web..  Here is the publication info from IPNI.

Alstroemeria achirae Muñoz-Schick & Brinck
Gayana, Bot. 57(3): 556 (-57; fig. 2). 2000 [15 Oct 2000]
Prov. de Curicó, cumbre Cerro Los Queñes, a 1850 m de attitud, en zona de piedras angulosas y con maicillo, Maule (Chile)

B&T World Seeds listed it (out of stock) and described the flowers as "APRICOT, PINK at tips, WINE marking" amd the plant Height in meters: 0.2.
Elsewhere, listed as: Apricot flowers with pink petal tips and wine-coloured markings May-Jun, 20cm. Marginally tender (Z9).

Here's a link to a poor quality scanned photo of 5 Alstroemeria and one Leontochir; but there is no what to verify correlation between the image number and the 6-image page, other than assuming they go left-to-right and top-to-bottom, making the upper right photo of a white-flowered Alstroemeria with some marking being A. achirae, but that color doesn't jive with the color description on other web pages.
http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0717-66432000000100004&script=sci_arttext

[Ezeiza]

1  2

3  4

5  6

like you say. The flower is clearly white but in the Spanish description says yellow.

A yellow Leontochir reported as a very rare occurrence is described as a variety.

Not surprising to me, this is the same botanist that described the alien South African Romulea rosea as "Calydorea chilensis"

[Diane Whitehead]

The AGS has not had an offering of achirae since - so just the one year, 2007.
No indication of who donated it.

There is a nice clump - should I hope that maybe there might be a true
plant in it?

Or just rip it all out before it takes over my garden?

Diane

[bulborum]

Diana

What is the size from your plant

Roland

[Ezeiza]

Diane, you must be familiar with aurea/aurantiaca. Achirae is supposed to be 10-11 cm. tall under natural conditions.

On another matter, such a stunted plant and coming from that altitude in THAT region must be a lot hardier than zone 9

[Diane Whitehead]

My plant is 60 cm tall and the leaves are quite green compared to
A umbellata next to it, which is 9 cm tall with gray leaves.

Yes, I am familiar with aurea.  I used to have it a long time ago
but pulled it all for several years so that I no longer have it.  It
was plain dark yellow, not with orange like this one, but I think it
varies a bit in colour.

[Ezeiza]

Aurea, formerly aurantiaca is normally a deep orange with the occasional reddish one and rarely yellow.

[Diane Whitehead]

Thanks, everyone.  I will pull it out.

I just hope that the other people who received the seed don't
think they have achirae and start donating its seed.

Diane

[Diane Clement]

Thanks, everyone.  I will pull it out.
I just hope that the other people who received the seed don't
think they have achirae and start donating its seed.   Diane  

Thanks for the feedback about this seed.  I have traced the donor form and see that the donor is actually known as a very good grower, but of course anyone can make mistakes with their seed donations.  I am completely sure that this and many other mistakes from this and other donors are through genuine error and not malice or other reason.  We are aware that some donors make mistakes and we are careful to vet all seeds from certain donors.  However, I do not wish to "name and shame" as without donors we would not have a seed exchange.  I shall be vigilant for any redonations bearing this name and check the provenance.  
Diane Clement
Acting Seed Manager
AGS Seed Exchange

[Lesley Cox]

Diane, that is wonderful! So often when we get somethging from an exchange and it is wrong, we can comment in what seem to be relevant places (AGS Alpine Anthology for example), but usually nothing is printed and the hope that the mistake will be picked up and acted upon either by the seed exchange itself or by the donor, goes unrealised. The same seed then appears with the wrong name year after year. It's great to know that you in particular, are looking for such errors and can correct them.

I know we've been on this subject several times before so won't enlarge. I'm always thrilled with and grateful for my seed allowance and think the people involved, right from the receivers to the distributors, as well as donors of course, do a marvellous job.

[Ezeiza]

Sometimes these errors are the result of growing exceedingly vigorous species among other more timid species. One that comes to mind is Habranthus tubispathus, a plant that sets seed so easily and germinates likewise that is frequently distributed as more desirable rare items. The mechanism is quite simple: the rare plant dies and this Habranthus appears in different pots and when the seed is ready (it never fails) the owner in good faith distributes under the ORIGINAL inhabitant of the pot's name.

[Lesley Cox]

Mmmm, Frits acmopetala and pontica come to mind as species which are also distributed in this way.