Unknown bulb

[Diane Clement]

I have a pot of bulbs given to me by a friend (who is sadly no longer with us).  It came with the label "Galanthus fosteri" which something in current growth clearly isn't.
I tipped the pot out today to investigate.  The bigger bulbs have scale-like bulbils and there are also some smaller bulbs in the pot which may be from a later germination or grown on from the bulbils although they look different.  The bigger plants have leaves which are flat and grass like.  They don't have any odour.  One of the strangest features is that the plants have been in growth at least since last spring (I can't remember any dormancy but they might have gone down in late spring, I can't remember).  They were certainly well into growth by August as the last picture below shows. They have survived so far this winter in an unheated greenhouse.  Does anyone have any ideas??
 
Unknown bulb 1 shows one of the large bulbs with some of the smaller bulbs
Unknown bulb 2 shows the scaley bulb closer
Unknown bulb 3 shows the leaves.
Unknown bulb 4 shows part of my bulb house last August just after repotting, the unknown plant is circled in red and shows the only leaves in a sea of dormant pots

[Martin Baxendale]

Diane, the bulbs at the top of your photo look like galanthus bulbs and are just coming into leaf, which is about right for timing. I think the bulb with the loose scales at the bottom, which is in full leaf, is the one that was in growth in the summer, so the pot contained two different plants. I'd pot the upper bulbs separately as I think you'll find they are snowdrops. No idea what the bottom loose-scaled bulb is.

[t00lie]

Hello Diane

I'd have to agree with Martin that you have two different plants (although i wouldn't know a Galanthus bulb from a Narcissus bulb   ).

Your bottom loose - scalled bulb has the look of that weedy Nothoscordum sps (sorry name is forgotten).

Cheers Dave

[Lesley Cox]

I agree too, and especially with Dave about the Nothoscordum. If it's that, you will need to destroy it, not onto the compost but by burning. It is a shocking menace and will spread its bulblets everywhere and to astonishing depths, from whence it never can be retrieved. Good luck.

[tonyg]

The clone of Galanthus fosteri that I grow does make many offsets but the leaves are only now emerging and they are quite unlike those on your bulb.  Broader, darker green and shiny rather than the grey-green leaves you show.  Some of the south american amaryllids come into leaf very early and can be in leaf most of the year if not dried off.  BUT I don't think of them as prolific increasers.  Guess you'll have to wait and see but with that rate of increase you may need a bigger pot

[Diane Clement]

Thanks very much to all who have made comments.
I did think the main plants looked like Allium relatives, but was puzzled at no smell when the leaves were crushed.  But Nothoscordum gracile used to be called N inodorum which explains it.  I'll sort the pot out and try and retrieve the little bulbs in the hope they are G fosteri and repot in fresh compost.  I found a picture on PBS which matches mine  
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Nothoscordum/Nothoscordum_gracile_roots_msi.jpg

[hadacekf]

I think too it is Nothoscordum gracile syn. Allium fragans. Nothoscordum gracile differs from Allium in its lack of onion-like smell. A terrible weed.