Muscari ... and some relatives 2009

[Onion]

Thanks Oron for this as Dave say amazing plant.
Every week a new and never seen species.
The ground looks sandy. Is this the habitat of Muscari longipes ?

[Oron Peri]

Uli, Longipes subsp. longipes grows in sandy soils while Longipes ssp. negevensis grows in more solid, rocky soils.

[Lesley Cox]

Uli, Longipes subsp. longipes grows in sandy soils while Longipes ssp. negevensis grows in more solid, rocky soils.

A stunning species. A whole new slant on Muscari.

[Paul T]

Wow, I love that longipes.  Amazing for a Muscari, and something that would be excellent in collections to just show what they CAN be like.    And beautiful in it's own right too!!

[Sinchets]

For the life of me I can't remember if it was here in another thread- but is Leopoldia still being accepted as a synonym for some Muscari? - I say this as I have heard of Leopoldia longipes- and then realised it had to be the Muscari longipes shown here.

[Ezeiza]

Hi Oron:

            We have received seeds of Muscari/Leopoldia longipes but could never obtain any germination. Do you think this was due to the seed being old? Is this species peculiar in their germination process?

Thanks

[Oron Peri]

Hi Alberto,

I have germinated this species only once but I remember it was easy and a fast germination.

Since it is a semidesert species  I would think seeds can last for some years as long as they are kept dry.
The reason in my opinion might be that they were overwatered.
In its habitat this species receives only  80-120mm of annual rains and is sensitive to access of water.

Plants from Turkish origin might do much better since they probably get more rains.

[Oron Peri]

For the life of me I can't remember if it was here in another thread- but is Leopoldia still being accepted as a synonym for some Muscari? - I say this as I have heard of Leopoldia longipes- and then realised it had to be the Muscari longipes shown here.

Simon,
This genus was neglected for too long and as far as I know no one took the job of reviewing the names.
There are 4 different groups in this genus, some of the species names  have been accepted in the past, for example. M. comosum, ex Leopoldia comosa, but  many others still have two names as in the case of L. longipes, M. longipes.
Personally I write Muscari... and the synonymous as well.

[Sinchets]

Thanks Oron- I thought at first reading it was a new species in Muscari, but the longipes part sounded familiar so I googled it. I've grown Leopoldia longipes from seed. Although it came to Bulgaria with me it hasn't flowered here yet. I guess it must be the type form, not ssp negevensis, as it came from Mike Salmon of Monocot Nursery- but he doesn't list a collection location.
Thanks
Simon

[Sinchets]

The promise of things to come Bellevalia/ Leopoldia/ Muscari? sarmatica- very close to Muscari/ Leopoldia/ Bellevalia longipes in form- but with pedicels not extending so much in fruit.

[Maggi Young]

Oh, a flowering pineapple!! Cute!!  Look at those hairs on the leaf margins.... nice!

[Oron Peri]

Very nice one Simon, love the pink color on it.
It is Bellevalia, a genus by its own. [No synonimuos  this time ]

[Sinchets]

I am hoping it stops being bashful and puts on a bit of height in the next few days.

[Oron Peri]

Simon
that is the nice thing about it, this compact growth,
Any way much better looking than this Bellevalia longipes that is 60cm high and 40 at the base of the inflorescence.

[Sinchets]

Yes. the B.longipes does actually look rather comical like that, maybe a child drawing their version of B.sarmatica- I say that as an ex teacher of course!