Muscari ... and some relatives 2009

[Ragged Robin]

Love the colour and the way it is flowering is fascinating 

[Sinchets]

Thanks, Armin 

[gote]

I got Bellevalila pycnantha from janis last year. A stunning flower.
Göte

[ashley]

That's a beauty Göte.

According to the Kew Monocot Checklist B. pycnantha is a synonym for B paradoxa. 
Does anyone know whether there is any clear horticultural if not taxonomic distinction between the two? 
Certainly immature plants I have look different but equally that might just reflect the populations from which the seed came.

[gote]

I certainly have no idea. There is a paper that can be found by google on muscari and allies i believe. It is available to those who are willing top pay a fee to the publishers 
I am not. One day I will go to the university library where I can read it for free but lack of time is something that is plentiful with me.
Göte

[Afloden]

A paper on the Bellevalia of Turkey explores their cytology. B.pycnantha is synonymized under paradoxa in this paper. They only mention that one is a tetraploid distributed in boggy meadows over a broad range and the other is diploid and found at higher elevations in alpine situations, generally pastures or rocky areas. Which is which is not really explained though. In cultivation both assume similar sizes, but differ slightly in flower color. Otherwise they are indistinguishable on a morphological basis according to the authors. Arch-7604 is diploid and Arch-6338 is tetraploid for those who might have these collections.

 Aaron

[gote]

Thank you Aaron,
This is the paper i meant (I believe).
I no longer need to read it.
Göte

[Maggi Young]

Which is which is not really explained though.

Isn't that sort of sloppy writing enough to drive you insane ?

[gote]

AGREE 
Göte

[Diane Clement]

Is anyone else growing this? 

Belevalia tabriziana (was Hyacinthus tabrizianus)

[Maggi Young]

Not us, Diane. Love that pale blue.

[Sinchets]

Is anyone else growing this? 

Belevalia tabriziana (was Hyacinthus tabrizianus)

Yes Diane, but as Hyacinthella tabrizianus- one of its myriad of synonyms 

[Sinchets]

Always the last one to flower here- as seen yesterday in the Stara Planina:
Muscari tenuiflorum

[Ragged Robin]

Simon, Muscari tenuiflorum looks very intriguing and a lovely colour in the sunlight.....tall too?

[Sinchets]

Yes, I agree. It really has a graceful form. We were happy to see them in full flower. On previous visits to this site we have either been too early, or too late. Some of them are maybe 60cm tall.