Corydalis nobilis

[Maggi Young]

 I doubt it is likely to be C. aurea.   The Tebbit, Liden and Zetterlund  book describes the flowers as being "shorter than or slightly exceeding the leaves" ( page 119)  and the e-flora description says the foliage is "glaucous"   ( http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500427 )

None of the photos of the large plant that seems to be the most regular "imposter" for C. nobilis have those  characteristics. The flowering stems all extend well beyond  the foliage  and are hardly blue green at all. Plus C. aurea seems not to have the very prominent greenish markings on the upper part of the flowers.

I'm intrigued - I'll do more research!

[TheOnionMan]

Interesting discussion and sleuthing. For what it's worth, my robust plants of C. nobilis make masses of seed, yet never seed around in the garden. Two years ago I specifically sowed some fresh seed, treated like other spring ephemeral seed and keep shaded and moist, only got about 6 seedlings in spring out of 100s of seed sown.

Corydalis nobilis from May 2015, notice the leaf forms can be a bit variable.

[Tristan_He]

Hi Maggi, think you are probably right - also just came across C. heterocarpa which seems to match very well:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=250090080

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corydalis_heterocarpa_var_japonica_01.jpg

Tristan

[Maggi Young]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head now, Tristan!

 I sent a selection of  photos earlier this evening  to Henrik Zetterlund to ask his opinion 

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Maggi, think you are probably right - also just came across C. heterocarpa which seems to match very well:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corydalis_heterocarpa_var_japonica_01.jpg
Tristan

Hi Tristan,
That looks like what was being grown in Australia for many years as C. nobilis! It can be an absolute thug in Melbourne gardens but we didn't bring any with us when we moved to the country so don't know what it would do here.
cheers
fermi

[Tristan_He]

To go back to C. nobilis, if anyone can spare fresh seed of the real thing, please PM me. I've tried it before from Jelitto but I had no luck, probably as it has such a short viability. Happy to swap.

[Maggi Young]

I couldn't resist sharing  here this article from Robbie Blackhall-Miles - he writes of Petunia exserta, being grown from seed from  Derry at Special Plants !! http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2015/jul/30/petunia-exserta-a-flower-on-the-brink-of-extinction

In order to keep the species though, it may be necessary to grow it well away from other petunias- http://www.specialplants.net/shop/seeds/petunia_exserta/ 

[ChrisD]

Wow, I havent been on this thread for a week and have missed all the excitment 

Derry, I called in at your fabulous nursery a couple of months ago. A lovely selection of plants. This thread is a perfect example of the the forum can resolve all sorts of problems, even problems you didnt know you had!

Tristan, I suspect you are too late this year, at least for very fresh seed. I suggest you post again next spring, my original post resulted in a very generous gift of seed from a forum member. Hopefully these will result in lots of babies next spring.

Maggi, as usual a splendid effort in gathering together all the information from the various sources, and to Tristan - thanks for identifying the imposter. It will be interesting to see if Henrik agrees.

Chris

[Maggi Young]

Henrik Zetterlund  has returned and  his first  reaction was that  the "query"plant is  Corydalis speciosa

However, he has consulted with Magnus Lidén and  Henrik thinks that his  was too hasty an opinion -  the two of them think -  "  it is a species within the heterocarpa-complex.  Orthopoda or heterocarpa.

Orthopoda is annual-biennial.

7a. Lowermost leaflets almost as large as rest of leaf; seeds ± sharply colliculate, shortly spinulose  toward margin; stigma transverse, with 2 small forward-projecting papillae and broad diffuse
lateral papillae............  30. C. orthopoda
7b. Lowermost leaflets considerably smaller than remainder of leaf; seeds ± spinulose all over;  stigma with ascending branches tipped with diffusely set off papillae.......................  31. C. heterocarpa    "


 The plants we have supposed to be the  true C. nobilis are indeed that species.

I think we are most fortunate to be able to consult these guys - thanks Henrik and Magnus !!