Colchicums late 2008

[Thomas Huber]

Especially as a reminder for Pat - Colchicum pusillum:

[art600]

Anthony - you could win the prize.  I have never had Asarums, but I have had Hermodactylus.  Will watch as it grows.

[Jim McKenney]

Hermodactylus tuberosus  look like that too, but I do have some colchicums that have tubers, rather than bulbs, not too dissimilar to these.

Anthony, I think colchicums grow from corms (a storage organ formed mostly from stem tissue), not bulbs (a storage organ with a core of stem tissue surrounded by modified leaves which serve as the primary storage structures).

And I've seen some of the ones with long, sausage-like corms which move horizontally in the style of rhizomes (rhizomatous corms anyone?). Those of Colchicum soboliferum are a good example.

Have you ever noticed the resemblance between these long colchicum corms and the corms of the tropical climbing lilies of the genus Gloriosa? In modern arrangements, both Colchicum and Gloriosa are placed in the family Colchicaceae.

[arillady]

Thanks Thomas for posting the photos of Colchicum pusillum. So white and perfect.

[Thomas Huber]

My pleasure Pat!

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks Jim for the clarification. Sometimes I find it difficult to work out whether something is a corm, a rhizome, a bulb or a tuber.

[Oron Peri]

Just came back yesterday from Chios - Greece where Colchicum variegatum is in flower from sea level up to 600m. Almost always around Pine trees.
Flowers on mature plants can reach 12cm in diameter, usually 5-10cm
Only one to two flowers on each bulb.

[Jim McKenney]

Very nice, Oron.

Colchicum variegatum is blooming today here in USDA zone 7 Maryland, USA.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely Oron.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Colchicum variegatum today in East Germany. No sun no nice pictures.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Jim, not 3 and not 6 anthers. Nevertheless it`s a colchicum. Colchicum macrophyllum

[Oron Peri]

Hagen
lovely C. macrophyllum, does the two species set seeds in your climate?

[Hagen Engelmann]

No, Oron, I haven`t seen ever seed(capsule) on my plants. But the leaves aren`t too big and the flowers suggest a spring in autumn time.
We await the winter here next time (from december and later).

[Jim McKenney]

Jim, not 3 and not 6 anthers. Nevertheless it`s a colchicum. Colchicum macrophyllum

Very nice, Hagen. I don't grow Colchicum macrophyllum yet.

Maybe we should have a new genus for your plant:  how about Crochicum or Colchiocus? 

[Jim McKenney]

Thanks Jim for the clarification. Sometimes I find it difficult to work out whether something is a corm, a rhizome, a bulb or a tuber.

So do I, Anthony! One reason I made that post was to revive the ongoing discussion of what these terms mean. I'm anticipating some vigorous, contrasting points of view -   and, I hope, some merry repartee to go with it.