South African bulbose plants 2007

[Carlo]

Could be a Massonia...

[Paul T]

Rogan,

Massonia of some sort by the look of it, would need the flower for ID purposes I would imagine, and then by someone more experienced than me.  Definitely looks like Massonia leaf or something closely related.

Fermi,

Do you still have Ixia viridiflora?  I grow it here and can likely spare a corm or two at the end of the season or set seed on it for you if you'd like?  I also like the Ixia polystachyas as they flower extremely late in the season after almost all the other Ixias are finished.  I have Ixia curta in flower here at the moment..... a miniature type only about 8 inches tall and bright orange with a dark throat.  The other hybrids are just starting to bud up with a couple thinking about opening.

[Maggi Young]

That's something else on my "to do" list... find out why Haemanthus are amaryllids and Massonia are Hyacinthaceae.... there is so much I don't know about these cute foreigners!

[Lesley Cox]

Do you think the little pink could be a Rhodohypoxis Maggi? It seems the right shape and there's a little bit of leaf that's similar. And it does come from the Drakensburg.

[Anthony Darby]

Not heard of Rhodohypoxis 'Maggi', but would expect it to be much more brightly coloured.

[mark smyth]

I've seen many in my time but never seen 'Maggi' either but mentioning said plants can I sneak a Kiwi Joy bulb in the post, Lesley?

[Lesley Cox]

Absolutely not thanks Mark. Maggi, comma, when I have a really special Rhodohypoxis or something else excellent and in need of a name, it shall be `Maggi,' comma, with my love.

[Rogan]

Dear Maggi (not Rhodohypoxis 'Maggi', or anything else - gad, you try and have a serious conversation...!  ),

Briefly, Amaryllidaceae have an inferior ovary (situated below the petals or floral tube), Hyacinthaceae (ex. Liliaceae) have a superior ovary (above or between the petals). Of course there is a lot more to it than this, but in simple terms (the terms I understand), that's basically it. Iridaceae also have a superior ovary, but only three stamens - Amaryllidaceae and Hyacinthaceae (Liliaceae) have six.

Don't ask me about Myosotis (Boraginaceae) - the flowers are far too small 

[Rogan]

I managed to get another picture of the purported Drakensberg Massonia sp. from my brother, this time with some flowers. Growing at 10,000' it should be quite hardy. M. jasminiflora and M. pygmaea are the only species that I can find information on that seem to grow anywhere near the Drakensberg - intriguing!

[Maggi Young]

I see there is someting up that mountain at 10,000 ft which likes to eat plants, Rogan. 

As to the inferior ovary, superior ovary stuff.... I got disillusioned with that when reading of other plants.... "these have an inferior ovary.... except in X and Z, where the ovary is superior"  ....... blooming botanists... can't believe a word they say!
I do appreciate you taking the time to tell me about this case, though, I'm prepared to believe it... meantime! 

[Lesley Cox]

The flowers are not at all Massonia-like are they? Andrew Broome may know.

[ajbroome]

Lesley said...

> The flowers are not at all Massonia-like are they?
> Andrew Broome may know.

Well, I can't claim to *know* but the flowers don't look like either of the Massonia spp that I grow (M. depressa and M. pustulata),
both actively growing for me at the moment.  Also, the leaves look wrong to me.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

I'd be happy to have a go at growing it though.

Andrew.

[Paul T]

Rogan,

Given my recent history I'll probably be wrong but...... my first thoughts on seeing the flowers were that it would be Massonia pygmae.  Right sort of colour and can vary quite widely in how many flowers per head.  The M. jasminiflora that I grow have smooth leaves, but that doesn't mean anything really of course) and a more filled in flowerhead (i.e they make a complete head of flowers, not just a few) but that could also be better culture here than when being grazed in the wild.  I don't grow pygmae unfortunately as yet.  The flowers by the look of it fit the superior ovary tag by the look of the flower to the top right, where you can see the green ovary inside the petals.

Anyway, hopefully there are others who are SURE of the ID, whereas I'm only working frmo my minor experiences.  Sorry if it is a red herring on my part.

[fermi de Sousa]

More South African bulbs are hitting their straps and here are two that are still the in pots, the first because it might be TOO happy here and the second because it can be taken to meetings!
First, Hesperantha bachmannii, white reflexed petals that open up inthe late afternoon but have a peculiar scent.


and side on the show the reflexing of the petals.


Second a lovely blue lachenalia, which I think maybe L. orchioides var. glaucina which I received many years ago from a couple in our group who have since departed so it's a nice reminder of them very spring.


and closer up,


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Interesting, as both of those have already pretty much finished for me.  Makes a change from the fact that you're usually a few weeks ahead of me in flowering anything.