NZ Field trips January 2007

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks John, I'm not so bright as I thought I was, though in fact I'm not remotely interested in royal goings on and when the present incumbent shuffles off at last, I shall be a confirmed republican for this this little bit of down under. Cheers.

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks for clearing that up, John! However it could lead to a bad case of "Athlete's mouth"!
Getting back to the real topic of discussion, David, has anyone been able to establsih that myosotis (oreophila) in cultivation?
cheers
fermi

[David Lyttle]

Hi Fermi,

The short answer to your question is Myosotis oreophila has not been established in cultivation.  However I have just germinated some seed. Please no requests as I have no seed to supply.

[Maggi Young]

Hi, everyone, harking back to the discussion earlier in this thread about the newly named Ranunculus acraeus: At the Early Bulb Day in Dunblane last Saturday, someone had a copy of an article (from the Christchurch Times, I think) that was similar to the one from Otago that I showed  Reply #67 on: January 24, 2007, 08:10:48 PM »  http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=161.msg3809#msg3809 This however, using the same photo of the plant by Ann Cartman, also showed a photo of Joe Cartman, and itwas said  that he was the discoverer of R. acraeus. Now, I'm not too sure about that bit, because I remember Hugh Wood telling us about the plant some years ago and I understood that it was he, Hugh, who had first found this different plant. I think it would have been Hugh who took Joe and Ann to see the plant. Perhaps the Christchurch paper was beefing up the local connection with the Cartmans?! Hugh, who has especial connections with North East Scotland and who is much admired here is such a modest soul that I wouldn't like to think he was being "missed out".
Or I could be beefing up our local Aberdeen connections we'll find out the whole story sometime, I'm sure. These newpapers often get the wrong end ofthe stick.
I think I gave links to the parts of the old forum where the plant was discussed before it was officially described, but I can't seem to find those now!  I believe there are a couple of forumists and others who  got seed of this lovely buttercup in the UK a few years ago... I hope those still are growing!

[Lesley Cox]

I'm pretty sure you are right Maggi, after all, this area is Hugh's particular stamping ground - his back door so to speak - and he's been botanizing here every since he came to NZ. And both Steve Newall and Bryan Davies would have met the plant well before the Cartmans I should think. Maybe Joe could give some dates?

I sent a little seed to both Ian of the Christie kind and Mr Buttercup in Whitworth but I never heard if it germinated. What I sowed myself, from the same batch (Dave T's collection) has certainly not come through.