Polygonatum, A pictorial guide

[Afloden]

Mark,

 That P. acuminatifolium actually looks correct. I may have to order it this fall. Nice sized flowers for the size of the plant. Do you recall a fragrance? My guess, based on related species, would say baby power like.

 Here are some new ones; P. amabile, finally given species status again by Tamura in his 2009 treatment of the Japanese species. An outstanding almost trough sized plant with beautiful leaves (in this form) and fragrant flowers. Plant and dissected flower (saved from a rainy weekend so not quite open).

 And a few from Crug that I won't put names on...yet. The first, a form of their P. tonkinense, is very close, if not conspecific with a plant sent out as Chen Yi's
S-222. The only difference seems to be that the Fan Si Pan, Vietnam plants are evergreen and the CY material is deciduous.

 

[Afloden]

A few odds and ends;

 P. multiflorum Ramosissimum - the branched form. The flowers are significantly smaller than the typical form. And, strangely enough, this seems to be partially self fertile.

 P. odoratum ex JW, collected near Cheng Du in the 1980's. It has terminal flowers! It also has abaxially papillose leaves and distinct flowers without scent.
 
 And P. sp. ex CY. Not a clue. The leaves are borne opposite, alternate, and 3-whorled, pubescent abaxially, with greenish flowers with purple spots on the lobe margins. Dissected flower included.

[bulborum]

Hello Aaron

Beautiful patterns from P. amabile
what is left of P. odoratum
I will post later some pictures of my P. prattii ex Chen Yi

Roland

[Afloden]

 Here are two P. nodosum clones (both can be seen to the left of the P. odoratum in the previous post);

 And some of the cyrtonema mess. I rescind any identification that I have previously called P. cyrtonema until seeing the flower dissected! Flowers of three clones dissected below. The overall plant habits can be seen in the last. The purple plant (dark green on left side of picture), red veins on bottom to right of middle and the other in the upper right quarter of the picture. The latter flowers two weeks before the other two.  
 

[bulborum]

As promised

Polygonatum prattii  Short form ex Chen Yi

Roland

[Regelian]

Wow, amazing plants.  Aaron, those diagnostic shots are simply wonderful!  This is simply great.  Thanks for sharing them.

[TheOnionMan]

Mark,

 That P. acuminatifolium actually looks correct. I may have to order it this fall. Nice sized flowers for the size of the plant. Do you recall a fragrance? My guess, based on related species, would say baby power like.

There is a faint baby powder scent... will check it again today.  Aaron, really been enjoying these diagnostic photos and cut-away photos showing measured floral details... EXCELLENT!

Yesterday there was a New England Chapter NARGS garden tour day, with three gardens on the roster.  Saw some very nice Polygonatums, which I'll share here.

1     Polygonatum - dwarf variegated, at the amazing garden/nursery of Jan Sacks and Marty Schafer (breeders of extraordinary Siberian Iris and so much more).  I'll try and get the name of this, the hosts were very busy with visitors.
http://www.jpwflowers.com/

2     P. odoratum 'Carlisle' - I showed this previously, but here in the garden of Jan & Marty, they grew large blocks of this extra fine low-growing variegated odoratum, which will certainly advance the new standard for variegated odoratums.

3-8  P. macranthum - the holy grail of tall and imposing Poygonatum species, this is a remarkable species, with huge (for a polygonatum) flowers.  Photos taken in the beautifully landscaped garden of Helen and Roy Herald, full of plant treasures.

9     P. verticillatum aff. fuscum - also in the garden of Helen and Roy Herald. 

[Afloden]

 I hope the diagnostic images will help some with identifications. I have over 500 images now of important morphological features of about half my 154 accessions. The first few were on a white background, but the shadows were too obvious and the depth was not good.  A piece of black felt beneath the flowers enhances the images greatly.

 Roland, what number did CY send that under? I have not received P. prattii from her either. That form is nearly identical to the line drawing in the original publication. It is very nice.

 Mark, the first might be P. amabile "Kon Chiri Shima." Which is a vigorous and highly variegated form. Were the flowers held out under the leaves?

 I have seed of both Roy's macranthum and the verticillatum aff. fuscum. Polygonatum macranthum is a superb species. Based on the flower morphology this is related to an as yet unnamed species from Taiwan and the Taiwanese P. arisanense. The Chinese P. arisanense may be a different species. All have large flowers, long tapered filaments with differing degrees of papillosity, and glossy green leaves. I'll send pictures when I get back to my computer.

 Aaron

[bulborum]

Hello Aaron

S-146      Polygonatum prattii var. (LiJiang)      
most plants died the first year
but you can have some from different pots in December
They get dormant very late
just help me remember

Roland

[Afloden]

Roland,
 
 Thanks. The plants to the left of the odoratum are two different clones of P. nodosum/cyrtonema. The size of the plant and the rhizome type seems to be the most significant differences between the two species.

 Aaron

 
 

[bulborum]

Hello Mark

The first looks most on Polygonatum odoratum var pluriflorum Dai Ko Ga
The second looks what I bought as Polygonatum odoratum var pluriflorum Variegatum Double Wide
but maybe they named it

Roland

[TheOnionMan]

Hello Mark

The first looks most on Polygonatum odoratum var pluriflorum Dai Ko Ga
The second looks what I bought as Polygonatum odoratum var pluriflorum Variegatum Double Wide
but maybe they named it

Roland

Roland, I will inquire about the first variegated one and report back, I'm sure they know what it is, I just didn't get a chance to ask them.
The 'Carlisle' form is not the same as 'Double Wide'.  'Double Wide' is taller (45 cm) and the variegation is white, whereas it is a creamy yellowish color and more diffuse pattern on 'Carlisle'.

[Afloden]

 Here is P. stewartianum (not prattii) CLD325. It is a small plant with enormous quantities of flowers in the lower leaf axils. It lacks any detectable fragrance.

 And here is a comparison of two forms of P. pubescens. One is from an alkaline area on the Powell River northeast of me (about an hours drive) and the other about one half hour west on an acidic hillside with Hepatica americana (with red pistils) and a few other desirables.

[Afloden]

 Polygonatum kingianum in cultivation have all apparently come via Chen Yi. She offers it as a red form of cirrhifolium, sp. pink, and various other names. I personally don't think any of these are the true P. kingianum. It was described with short glabrous filaments, and purple to rose flowers with broad leaves. It was described from the Shan Hills of Myanmar. The Chen Yi material better fits P. huanum (the red-orange and green) and P. agglutinatum or P. esquiroili... or P. ericoideum!

 Here are some dissected perianths of both of the latter possibilities that I grow that have flowered. I would love to get the true P. kingianum to compare these to. Also I have both collections of the yellow P. kingianum from Crug -- I have yet to flower these, but they are obviously closely related. These all share the gingeriform rhizomes, basal leaves (even when mature) with a silvery central stripe, and the large cylindical colored flowers.

 On scent -- the red form is scented like Tiarella - one of the finest fragrances in the world (imho) and the other is unscented.

 
  

[Afloden]

Here are the P. aff. fuscum and P. aff. bulbosum/lebrunii flowers close up and dissected (see discussion on pg 2).

 I'll add the aff. fuscum dissected later! I seem to have missed that photo somehow.