mystery seeds

[Diane Whitehead]

I'm cleaning off the kitchen counter preparatory to having the family
here for Christmas dinner.  I'm finding little containers holding seeds
- some with labels, some without.  At least I recognize some, like
various rhododendrons, and even though I don't know which they are,
at least I know how to grow them.

There's one flattened scalloped seedcase with tiny seeds that I'm
pretty sure I picked in South Africa.

But, what about this one?  Does anyone have a clue?  I didn't include
a size indicator, but the seeds are the size of sweet pea seeds, and the
cases are 1.5 cm across.

[Paul T]

Diane,

I doubt this will be correct, but both the seeds and the pods remind me of some of the  Paeonia species.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Diane,
if you picked this in South Africa it may actually be a species of Wachendorfia! I grew W. multiflora and it has the same "furry" look to the seed and a similar seedpod.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

OK, on second look they do look furry rather than bumpy, and I've never seen furry Paeonia seed (although I have seen some bumpy ones).  Just ignore my suggestion Diane.  Sorry.

[Diane Whitehead]

Oh. South Africa. Maybe that is why they look so unfamiliar.

I did see some Wachendorfias in flower when I was there in August
and September. That would explain the few seeds, too.  Each pod
has three locules, with one seed in each.  I have eight seeds, and
there are nine locules.

I've just zipped through my South African photos, and this one from
the west coast somewhere near Saldanha looks like it could be what I picked.
Could it be an early-flowering Wachendorfia?

I'm really impressed.  A Canadian sent a photo of seeds to Scotland,
 and within a couple of hours, an Australian identified them as a
South African plant.

[Maggi Young]

Impressed? I'm astounded!
Interesting to see from the pic of the plant that the furriness of the seed is repeated in the stems and ripening seed cases, too. 
My, how I love this Forum! Where else would I see this stuff? Thanks, Pals!

[SueG]

Maggie
Darren gave me some tubers of a wachendorfia and the new leaves come through the soil all furry too - the tubers are completely odd, a bit like a small jerusalem artichoke but with no obvious growing points or right way up. Must have got it right however as they all have grown!
Sue

[ChrisB]

You must show me these next visit Sue!  Wonderful.....

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Diane,
I can't tell from the pic how tall your Wachendorfia is. If it was only 15 cm (6") or so then it's possibly W. multiflora which is the one I've grown. It has rather subtle flowers followed by bright orangey-red seedpods.

Maggi,
you shouldn't be amazed - you know the incredible variety of people this Forum attracts!
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

I used to have a larger Wachendorfia (thyrsiflora??) but it didn't survive one winter.  It was close to 6 foot tall in flower.  i saw it again this year at a friend's place up in the Southern Highlands (about 2 hours north of here) and she's offered me a piece of it which I'll take her up on at some point.  Lovely yellow flowers on that one, with wonderfully ribbed leaves a bit like Tigridia leaves.