Petrocosmea - information needed, please.

[Maggi Young]

I have  had this message from  Julian Shaw, a botanist working for  the Royal Horticultural Society.

"......I am trying to find out when Petrocosmea grandiflora first appeared in cultivation. Can you help please?

Why do I need to know this? Because I have just realised that all the cultivated plants labelled Petrocosmea grandiflora are a different species. And P. grandiflora is not in cultivation, except at a botanic garden in China. Consequently finding the origin of the plants in cultivation is an important step in solving this puzzle.  I had to carry out a similar investigation a few years ago with P. cryptica, which was circulating as P. rosettifolia at the time.
So any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
Julian Shaw"

julianshaw@rhs.org.uk

I know that  various  forumists  grow  "P. grandiflora" and we  often see  it  on the  show  benches, so I do hope  you will get  in touch with  Julian to help in his  researches.

[arisaema]

This sounds like another Chen Yi introduction from sometime in the early 00's? She used to have a list of Gesneriads, I could probably dig them out from my email if needed - as well as the pictures.

[arisaema]

Here are the likely suspects, I couldn't find the lists, but they should be in the Alpine-L or Arisaema-L archives.

[Maggi Young]

I agree, Bobo,  that these  plants  most  likely arrived  via  Chen Yi.

[arisaema]

I had a look on Taobao, but while there was some Petrocosmea listed nothing looked like P. grandiflora of cult. Knowing her I would guess they either came from somewhere in S Yunnan (+N Burma), or from around Baise in Guangxi.

[Michael J Campbell]

I have this as petrocosmea grandiflora

[Maggi Young]

Just  heard  from Julian Shaw, who sends this  link to a  Chinese ( translated) article on the  confusion with the  mis-named  P. grandiflora in cultivation......

For the interest of your forum members there is a link to the Chinese centre for Gesneriad conservation with a few images of genuine P. grandiflora   http://gccc.gxib.cn/showNews-278.aspx

 A photo from that article  of the  "true"  P. grandiflora ...


 
 Julian also says :

Since the last query was so successful, please could I try another one?

Does anyone know anything about the origin of Petrocosmea HT-2 and TT-27 Such as what the letters stand for, who introduced them and how long they have been around?

I think it would be useful to clear up these identities too if we can while we are at it."

I hope  forumists will again be  able to help!

[arisaema]

Does anyone know anything about the origin of Petrocosmea HT-2 and TT-27 Such as what the letters stand for, who introduced them and how long they have been around?

TT is Tim Tuttle, according to http://www.gesneriads.info/genera/petrocosmea-sp-tt-27/ . The numbers (TT) 27 and 64 sound like they also might be Chen Yi's, I suggest contacting him to ask - or checking her old lists.

[arisaema]

Internet Archive saved a copy of her gesneriad lists here.

[Maggi Young]

Razvan Chisu grows  Petrocosmea rather  well - look at this  beauty....



 Razvan has  made these  compilation images  to help with ID and has  agreed  that they be  shared  here - Thanks, Raz!
 



Petrocosmea aide-mémoire # 2
"Some species have flowered already and a few are still in early bud. But these are at their best now"

[ChrisB]

Really useful info here.  Must check my labels!

[MarcR]

Maggi,

This is the best info I could find:

Petrocosmea grandiflora

Petrocosmea grandiflora has been in cultivation since the late 1990's and was first introduced as P. duclouxii. It has a limited distribution in the wild, growing in cracks in rocky limestone cliffs in south-eastern Yunnan at around 2000m. Belying its tender appearance and provided that it is kept dry, it has regularly survived sub-zero temperatures under cold glass. Cultivation tips can be gained from the information supplied about its natural habitat - cracks in limestone cliffs - so a free draining compost that never becomes too wet is the order of the day. A 50/50 mix of loam,leaf mould versus gritty sand, perlite, fine bark based compost is a good starting mix.

From the Alpine Garden Society archives.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Marc, I think Julian has this information. Interesting to see it here.