Muscari ... and some relatives 2009

[dominique]

Sorry Tony but not that. The colour is a soft, slightly lavender-shaded misty blue and as I said, the stems are dark red. Unfortunately I've only had 2 seeds from it in at least 7 years. With all due respect to M. pseudomuscari, which I like very much, this is a classier thing.

Hi Lesley
It is perhaps Muscari chalusicum of Iran. Leaves are very long and prostrate and my flowers look like yours
Dom

[Ezeiza]

Hi:

     Muscari pseudomuscari is the old M. chalusicum. In this species the flowers are not as globular as in most Muscaris but open at the mouth.


Regards

[Lesley Cox]

I've just spoken with the person who gave it to me some 8 or so years ago and the name she has on it is Muscari masseyanus but I remember at the time when we were discussing it (it was at a Trillium weekend, so lots of people about), there was some debate about the name. Agnes Sutherland, the original giver was at the occasion, but she, alas, has now died. Agnes was known for her deep knowledge of small bulbs. She had had contact with people such as Paul Furse and other collectors in the Middle East. 

Google has produced no reference to M. masseyanus.

[ashley]

No Lesley, it's not Muscari massayanum anyway (see e.g. http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Muscari).

[fermi de Sousa]

No Lesley, it's not Muscari massayanum anyway (see e.g. http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Muscari).

Rogan
if you look at the site that Ashley has highlighted, your muscari looks like M. neglectum.
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Agnes Sutherland, the original giver was at the occasion, but she, alas, has now died. Agnes was known for her deep knowledge of small bulbs.

In case anyone familiar with our popular Scottish Member, Agnes Sutherland of Ardfearn Nursery, by Inverness, has had a bit of a shock reading that she has died, I will just repeat that Lesley is speaking of a late New Zealand Member...... the Scottish version is alive and well and working as hard as ever with Jim at the nursery..... I hope to see them both at the Dunblane Early Bulb Day.

[Lesley Cox]

Maggi, Agnes and all your friends and family, I am DEEPLY sorry to have made such a mistake. I was not aware of your name, or even of your existence, so maybe can be excused. Of course I meant OUR Agnes who, as it happens was my late mother's cousin. She had such a wide experience of little bulbs and other choice plants over 60 or more years, that her knowledge is greatly missed here.

In the meantime, I do wish the Scottish Agnes a long life and much happiness among Ardfearn's plants.

[johnw]

From the Archibald's seed Muscari macrocarpum JJA690010 in bloom today in the greenhouse.  Always a mix-up in my head between this and M. muscarimi.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

John, I think you mean Muscari macrocarpum

[ashley]

That's nice John.  Presumably it has some fragrance too, especially welcome in winter. 
Both macrocarpum forms I have tend to flop around whereas your foliage seems fairly upright. 

[Tony Willis]

From the Archibald's seed Muscari macrocarpon JJA690010 in bloom today in the greenhouse.  Always a mix-up in my head between this and M. muscarimi.

johnw

Flora of Turkey has a problem with this.The only distinction seems that  M. macrocarpum seems to grow at a lower level and is more robust which is logical given it is much warmer there. It says they were looking to rename M. muscarimi as M. racemosum which may now have been done.Mine have flowered between 10th Jan and middle of March in previous years.It is quite different to mine and those dark marks around the mouth are very attractive. Sorry I have just looked at one I have from Kath Dryden and that has dark marks,ones from my own seed have not.

[johnw]

John, I think you mean Muscari macrocarpum

Indeed I did.

johnw

[johnw]

That's nice John.  Presumably it has some fragrance too, especially welcome in winter. 
Both macrocarpum forms I have tend to flop around whereas your foliage seems fairly upright. 

Ashley - I didn't get a chance to test for fragrance. That's the other mix-up - which of the two is the most fragrant. I recall one is especially good.  Oh and those leaves look good now but they will shortly be flopping all about.

johnw

[Oron Peri]

[/quote]
Flora of Turkey has a problem with this.The only distinction seems that  M. macrocarpum seems to grow at a lower level and is more robust which is logical given it is much warmer there. It says they were looking to rename M. muscarimi as M. racemosum which may now have been done.Mine have flowered between 10th Jan and middle of March
[/quote]

Tony,
Thanks for this information.

[Lesley Cox]

I have only Muscari macrocarpum, not the other, and mine is deliciously perfumed.