Uvularia for ID

[Lesley Cox]

The variegated Uvularia above in Aaron's post, is the same as what I have as Disporum smilacinum `Daisetsurya' or so close it would be hard to distinguish between them. Mine is underground now so I can't check exactly.

[Rodger Whitlock]

Here is a key to the uvularia species:

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=134281

[JohnnyD]

In the bulb log May 2003 Ian referred to two forms of Uvularia grandiflora - one with paler flowers than the other.
I have pot of Uvularia which appears to show this difference - but also a disinct difference in height, with the paler form a good 8-10cm shorter - see pic.
Is this typical?
Johnnie

[Lvandelft]

John, there is a Uvularia ID 2008 already, maybe this link will help you a little.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1714.0

Probably it's better to move your new topic to the 2008 topic, I hope Maggi will do this??

[JohnnyD]

Thanks Luit, but no reference to the pale form of grandiflora.
J.

[Lvandelft]

John, I had a better look at your plant now and I think the pale form is the
one which we grew as U. flava, of which I showed a pic. on page one.
But Kristl showed about the same flowers as a pale U. grandiflora.
I'm afraid in the trade, when ordering a U. grandiflora, you might get a pale
form as well as the darker form.
I prefer the dark form, but I grow still some pale ones too and they are all year
very exposed in full sun and seem to like it in our bulb field sand.
The darker forms need always some shade and flower always later with me here.

[JohnnyD]

Thanks again Luit.
John Humphries - on the AGS site - reckons it to be perfoliata. So no lack of choice.
Wonder what the judges will decide on Saturday at Solihull show?

Wish me luck.

[Lvandelft]

John, I think your pale yellow plant is the same as mine, and I reckon yours is clumpforming like mine.

Wonder what the judges will decide on Saturday at Solihull show?

Wish me luck.

I would just send the pot into the show as Uvularia    Good Luck!

[Afloden]

Hello,

 Look at the inside of the tepals. If they are papillose then you have perfoliata, if not it is grandiflora. The papillae should be visible to the naked eye. Also the backs of the leaves will be glabrous in perfoliata, and pubescent in grandiflora.

 From the looks of it, it does like like some forms of perfoliata, but the common one is very rhizomatous and can be weedy. Does it have a scent?

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN
 UT Herbarium

[Afloden]

 I took some flowers off and photographed them for comparison. Please keep in mind that the U.perfoliata pictured is somewhat different than the U. perfoliata I see in Tennessee. This particular one is from the NW corner of South Carolina. It has a lemony fragrance and is the most attractive of the Uvularia, more so than U.puberula, which seems to dislike any attempt at cultivation. The plant here in TN will be in bloom shortly and I can add in a photo of it also.

 The one on the left is U. perfoliata, Oconee County, SC. The two on the right are both grandiflora, one a pale form, the other the brighter, larger flowered Illinois form. In the photo with just perfoliata the papillae should be visible on the tepals.

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN
 UT Herbarium

[Diane Clement]

Look at the inside of the tepals. If they are papillose then you have perfoliata, if not it is grandiflora. The papillae should be visible to the naked eye. Also the backs of the leaves will be glabrous in perfoliata, and pubescent in grandiflora. 

To my innocent eyes (in terms of Uvularia ID), the leaves of grandiflora are distinctly different from perfoliata - grandiflora leaves are longer and look limp with slightly rolled back edges.  U perfoliata has more rounded leaves with the obvious "perfoliate" nature.  Is this a simplistic distinction?

I don't want to raise the taxonomic arguments again, but just curiousity led me to look up the Kew monocot database, and the family of Convallariaceae has disappeared down the drains of the DNA laboratory.  Most of the previous family Convallariaceae (including Convallaria, Polygonatum, Disporum etc) have gone into Asparagaceae (to join all the little blue bulbs), but Uvularia has gone into Colchicaceae.     

[JohnnyD]

Showed the plant at Knowle on Saturday where Vic Aspland had a Uvularia which appeared to be identical to the short form in my pot.
He was sure that the two forms were the same - Uvularia perfoliata.
Asked his view on the best time to separate them he said more or less 'rather you than me!'
I have attached pics of the two forms again in close up - can't see a difference myself but ,,,,,,,,,

I will probably take it to Harrogate on Saturday and later shows as long as it looks OK but after that any advice on how to separate the two - with the objective of keeping the stronger coloured tall form - would be most appreciated.
Johnnie D.

[Afloden]

Hello,
 
 They are both U. grandiflora. Notice the pubescent abaxial leaf surface on them, and the petals of both have that twist that is seen only in U. grandiflora. I have noticed that the pale forms, at least in my garden (all with provenance) have shorter tepals than the bright yellows.

 As far as dividing goes, I have done it now, a few weeks ago, just as they come through the ground, and also in the summer and fall. I view them (the genus, except U. puberula) as indestructible, but fall is probably best for the plant and the aesthetic look in the garden or pot.

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN
 UT Herbarium

[JohnnyD]

Thanks Aaron, that is not only clear, it is most encouraging.
I will report after the event.
Cheers,
JohnnieD

[Stephenb]

Thanks to Aaron, I've successfully confirmed the identification of two of my Uvularias today, grandiflora on the left and perfoliata: