Colchicums late 2008

[Oron Peri]

Opened this morning, the first  C. feinbruniae.

[Oron Peri]

I'm adding a photo of this species in its natural habitat in the Golan Heights

[art600]

Oron

What a beautiful Colchicum with excellent tessalation.  Not one I have seen before.

Nice to see in natural surroundings

[Tony Willis]

Oron that is beautiful in the wild.I have only seen the larger autumn flowering plants as singles although sometimes many bulbs in flower.

Now a question in general. There are lots of great pictures of colchicum species all with different names but many looking exactly the same. For instance what I would call C. bivonae appear in numerous disguises.  I understand that there has been a great splitting up of the Turkish ones and I wonder if there has been an account published?

[Oron Peri]

Now a question in general. There are lots of great pictures of colchicum species all with different names but many looking exactly the same. For instance what I would call C. bivonae appear in numerous disguises.  I understand that there has been a great splitting up of the Turkish ones and I wonder if there has been an account published?
[/quote]

Thanks Art and Tony.

Infact Tony, Colchicum  is one of the most difficult Genus to classify [maybe only Gagea is more difficult] , as far as I know there isn't any account published, at least not for the East Mediterranean species.

Infact many of the large flowered Colchicums [in particular the tessellated ones] have 1-3 flowers for a mature bulb. In the case of C. feinbruniae a mature bulb can carry many more, which is one if the differences that separate it  from other close relatives, but it might be also  a subsp of C. bivonae which is growing up north in turkey.

The problem is that there isn't a lot of information available regarding bulbous plants in Lebanon and Syria and there for it is hard to draw a map of the distribution of certain species, a data that would make the work of  classification easier.
 From what I have heard lately it is again the form and size of the bulb that decisive classification.

In some species, as  in the case of C. stevenii variation in flower form, size and color is so big that even 2 plants in the same colony seems two be different species, but if you look at the bulbs you understand immediately that they belong to the same species.

 

[Oron Peri]

Another problem with Colchicum is that many of the plants in commerce are hybrids and there for it is impossible to classify them, as in the case of C. agrippinum [ i think it should be X agrrippinum]which origins are not clear.

[Tony Willis]

Oron thanks for those comments.I was really referring to the Turkish ones which seem to have numerous names.

 I do find that well grown plants here produce several flowers per bulb but in the wild I have only seen one. It maybe that they are produced in succession in the wild whilst in cultivation it is possible to get several at once.

I do not plant my collection out in the garden because I think they become mixed up and in the pots I know where they all come from. Another reason is that the flowers are totally eaten by slugs in the garden

[Paul T]

Oron,

The C. feinbruniae is an excellent flower.  Great form and tesselation. Beautiful.

Tony,

I had a single Colchicum bulb (I'd have to look up which species.... I'm at work at the moment) which produced 22 flowers the year I bought it.    The bulb was the size of a good sized apple.

[Lesley Cox]

Colchicum psaridis has the strongest scent I've ever noticed on any Colchicum.
On a warm and sunny day the air smells like filled with honey.

How very sticky!

[Hans A.]

Has anyone an Idea which Colchicum could be this one? It has large leaves and resembles C. macrophyllum - but if it is? Searching in this thread and in internet I could not find any which fitted 100%...

Hi Hans,
here is a picture of my C. macrophyllum, looks like yours !
Except color of pollen...

Thanks Fred, i think the polen colour is typical for C. macrophyllum - it should not be yellow... mine will be an hybrid...

[Jim]

Hi All,
Tony Willis asked if there was an account of the Turkish Colchicums. Karin Persson has written many great articles on Colchicums. I think she is responsible for a lot of the newly named species. I have copies of many of her papers and would be happy to make copies if anyone is interested. Just email me.
Jim

[mark smyth]

Opened this morning, the first  C. feinbruniae.

Hello Oron

I would be interested in swapping with you in the summer for this Colchicum if you have any to spare

Mark
N Ireland

[Anthony Darby]

Still confused about these wee colchicums. The first is probably correct and is pusillum. The second was sent as cupanii but clearly isn't. Brown anthers suggest cretense, but it could be another pusillum?

[Michael J Campbell]

Oron, I will be in Galilee in about four weeks, will there be anything still in bloom by then.

Cheers

Michael.

[Oron Peri]

Oron, I will be in Galilee in about four weeks, will there be anything still in bloom by then.

Cheers

Michael.

Michael, I'm sure there will be many things to see in 4 weeks time [depends on rain], mainly on Mt. Hermon, Golan Heights and the Galilee.

I can take you to see some nice places, contact me privately so we can arrange it.
oron