South African bulbose plants 2007

[Maggi Young]

I assume everyone interested in this thread has seen this page?
 http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=904.0

We have taken down a couple of trees that were not doing very well and there is one other for the chop meantime... Ian is beavering away to excavate enough of its roots to allow the stump to be winched free.
We always thought that the resaon this tree was never really healthy was that it had never made decent root growth, it having been containerised for far too long beofre we got it... now Ian is uncovering its nether regions, this seems NOT to have been cause of its malaise.... the damn thing is anchored with 17cm diameter roots, going every which way... Uncovering enough to cut/loosen the trunk is hard going, especially since Ian is reluctant to clear a large enough area round about to make the task easier....so I am leaving him to the task..... but....I hear you sigh, why am I telling you all this here ?
Well, when the stump is ready to winch and we get the brute lifted out, there will be a reasonably sized area that is dug to a considerable depth and, being in a sunny spot, will make a super home for the SA bulbs I have just received from Devon. 

[mark smyth]

That Tritonia looks nothing like mine but like Maggi says it's lovely. Composites are my big love especially the SA daisies.

Rogan yes it's Greg I was thinking of. Any idea what he supplies?

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

Have had this in flower this month......



Spiloxene linearis is the most amazing brilliant orange-yellow flower about 3 inches across.  Whole plant is only about 6 inches tall or so.  Flowers open in the sunshine and positively glow.  Collected a bunch of seed off it yesterday with more still to come.  Nice story to it was that it was originally given to me as seed a few years ago by a friend who had 2 bulbs that never offset.  She collected a total of 6 seeds, all of which germinated for me.  Mine have also offset as they've grown, unlike her purchased bulbs.  Last year I mentioned a first flower on mine and she told me that hers had since died..... so during dormancy I gave her a half dozen corms.  It really shows the benefits of sharing things around, as you just never know when you might lose something and need some back!! 

[mark smyth]

Could I beg some seeds?

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi
I took pics of these tritonias at a garden in Castlemaine today




And these ixias,


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Mark,

No problem.  Email on it's way to you.

Fermi,

Those tritonias are as far as I know the lineatas I was talking about.  That may be what is sold as 'Bridesmaid White' or something like that.

[Rogan]

Rogan yes it's Greg I was thinking of. Any idea what he supplies?

No idea at the moment, but I will try and find out for you.

[fermi de Sousa]

I'm not sure if this is a species or a hybrid ixia. It's known as "Teal" or just as the "Blue ixia"




We visited a friend on Saturday who has a lot of the cerise ixia and the dark centred yellow (?I. maculata) and there are a lot of intermediates in her garden - some are now in ours in Redesdale! Hopefully they'll survive the transplant!
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

I've grown it for years under 'Amthystina' and also seen something called 'Elvira' which to my eyes at least is exactly the same thing.  Wonderful in a clump as they do tend to stand up straight, unlike so many of the other Ixias.    Great colour too.

[David Nicholson]

I have a chance to buy a Lapeirousia oreogena is anyone in the UK growing it? (I know Paul Tyreman is in Oz because he posted a picture of it in the Early Spring in Summer Hemisphere thread on 5 August last-and it's beautiful) What I am trying to find out is if it likely to thrive outside in my wettish! but mildiish! climate or whether I should put it in the greenhouse. Mind you, if it thrives in my  winter greenhouse with the vents fully open day and night and the door open all day, it'll be a good 'un.

[mark smyth]

Now lumped in to Freesia and very hardy here

[David Nicholson]

Now lumped in to Freesia and very hardy here

Not sure that is correct Mark but I have given up trying to make sense of Botanist's taxonomic ramblings. As far as I understand it Freesia laxa-previously Anomatheca laxa, was also previously Lapeirousia cruenta and Lapeirousia laxa. As far as I can tell Lapeirousia oreogena is still Lapeirousia oreogena but by the time I've had my Horlicks could well be something else!

[mark smyth]

BT World seeds says
Anomatheca cruenta - Anomatheca laxa
Anomatheca cruenta 'Alba P.' - Anomatheca laxa Alba Purissim
Anomatheca cruenta 'Alba' - Anomatheca laxa Alba

I also found
Anomatheca cruenta = Anomatheca laxa
Anomatheca cruenta 'Alba' = Anomatheca laxa 'Alba'
Anomatheca laxa = Freesia laxa
Freesia laxa = Anomatheca laxa
Lapeirousia cruenta = Anomatheca laxa
Lapeirousia cruenta = Freesia laxa
Lapeirousia fistulosa = Anomatheca fistulosa
Lapeirousia laxa = Anomatheca laxa
Lapeirousia laxa = Freesia laxa
Lapeirousia laxa 'Alba' = Anomatheca laxa 'Alba'

[mark smyth]

There are many references when I googled the names

[Diane Clement]

As far as I can tell Lapeirousia oreogena is still Lapeirousia oreogena but by the time I've had my Horlicks could well be something else!

Lapeirousia oreogena is OK, as you say, David.  The current up to date taxonomy of monocots is on Kew's website     http://www.kew.org/wcsp

The taxonomists have obviously been having lots of fun in coming up with some daft new ideas.  I see that daffodils are now onions and all the little blue blubs are now asparagus.  I expect crocuses will turn out to be a cabbages and the contents of our bulb houses will all end up in the soup.

Diane
(currently submerged under AGS seed donations, trying to compile this year's list)