Bulb Log 20/2/08

[Lesley Cox]

See? It works! Don't worry about mis-spelling my name. You aren't the first - or the fiftieth - to do that. I answer to most things but just don't call me early in the morning.

If you want to change your post, go to "modify" in the top right corner of your own post. But you know that already.

[Lesley Cox]

Re P and J-B, I do agree but what else is there, except the wildly out-of-date Christobel Beck, though hers is much more authoritative. Some time ago I started what I'm calling my "Frit File," a collection of every reference I can find including photos, from AGS Bulletins, SRGC Journals and anywhere they appear. I get entirely bogged down after a while and leave it for months before going back. Even now there are hundreds of pages and pics and I expect it will be buried with me, still unfinished.

[annew]

I answer to most things but just don't call me early in the morning.

Last week I rang a friend on her mobile and a sleepy voice answered - it turned out she was in New Zealand and it was 5.30am there - ooops! Am now waiting for the phone bill to arrive..

[Ian Y]

Lesley, Keep pollinating your F. alburyana every day even as the flower fades as you can get a seed set from a single plant - I did.

As for alburyana producing numerous bulblets - I wish. When it is growing well it will produce a single or very occasionally two small bulbs.
Any book that promotes Frits is good but I disagree with many points in Pratt & Jefferson Brown.

I have never managed to grow F pudica out side for any length of time but because of the generous production of rice grains I will keep trying and one day I may just hit the right spot - as for the weather.

Anne, I have no idea what the parentage of 'Joan Stead' may be butt would guess cantabricus and romieuxii must both be involved. I don't normally like split coronas but this one suits it and has a charm all of its own.

[Gerry Webster]

Re P and J-B, I do agree but what else is there, except the wildly out-of-date Christobel Beck, though hers is much more authoritative.

Well, there is nothing as far as I am aware. I'm still hoping I'll live long enough to see Martyn Rix's  book - somewhat overdue now. Meanwhile, like you, I have compiled my own 'Frit File'.

I've just remembered. David King has a  chapter on N American frits in 'Bulbs of North America' (ed. Jane McGary, Timber Press, 2001). As far as I can judge, this is authoritative

[Tony Willis]

In the wild alburyana produces masses of rice grains.They are scattered all over the ground where animals have been digging.Looking like little pearls. In cultivation mine just get smaller by the year until they are dead. Re disagreeing with P and J-B on many points is an understatment  but in this case certainly as far as the wild is concerned they are correct.

[Maggi Young]

We can only speak about our experience with the F. alburyana in cultivation..... seeing it in the wild would be a wonderful thing.
 Odd though, that it does produce rice in the wild, while not in cultivation... given that this is usually a reaction to improve survival under stress, you'd think that it would be making rice grains as if there were no tomoorrow in our pots!
A thought:  Any chance of another species close by being responsible for this "casting of pearls"?

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for the advice Ian. I'll do that, religiously, when (if) it flowers next August.

Tony, your comments have reminded me of something that had quite slipped my (fragile) memory. Back in 1966 when F. alburyana was first discovered, I had a small share in the ACW expedition which colllected it. As part of my share, I received 8 ricegrain sized bulblets of this gorgeous frit. By the time customs (in those days) had had their wicked way with them, they were shrivelled and in any case had to turn their season around for the southern hemisphere, so in the event, none survived. But they were, indubitably, very small bulblets, collected from the type site, the type collection in fact. So yes, you - and P and J-B - are right there, and I apologise to them.