Puzzles

[Martin Baxendale]

Stephen, the photo you posted of the seed pods for the puzzle show two pods on a flower stem, so the plant you're growing can't be single-flowered. The pods look very like the photos of S.muricatus I found on google.

[Armin]

Stephen,

I agree with Martin. Additional I found a good description of the two species.

[Stephenb]

Many thanks for this. However, I'm still not convinced it's muricatus. First, looking at all my plants I see that there are 15 flower stems of which 12 are single-flowered or podded and 3 are doubles. This would point to vermiculatus in Armin's description. However, the pods are not in one plane which would suggest muricatus? A hybrid?

[Maggi Young]

 This was... and is, a great puzzle.... keeps on going, eh?!! 

[Stephenb]

Yes, a puzzle within a puzzle!  I never thought I'd be bent over with magnifying glass checking for abruptly dilated tubercles when I started this, that's for sure 

I do see an appendage on the end of some but not all tubercles which could be what is meant by abruptly dilated - shame Figure 1 referred to in the article isn't available free...

[Hans J]

Hi all ,

here is an new puzzle from me 

...what is this ?

[Graham Catlow]

It looks remarkably like pieces of stalagmite or stalagtite. Calcium Carbonate.
But as a plant forum perhaps I am wrong.

Graham

[Paddy Tobin]

Fungus?

[Ragged Robin]

Fossilised plant section?

[Graham Catlow]

Fossilised plant section?

Robin - that would have been my next guess if my first was wrong.
Graham

[Lvandelft]

Just popped in since several days. Most of the week occupied by visitors in the house.
I think we should better ask first if it's a Macro picture 

[ranunculus]

Just popped in since several days. Most of the week occupied by visitors in the house.
I think we should better ask first if it's a Macro picture 

Possibly sitting on kitchen roll, Luit?   

[Maggi Young]

Just popped in since several days. Most of the week occupied by visitors in the house.
I think we should better ask first if it's a Macro picture 

Possibly sitting on kitchen roll, Luit?   

OH HO! You guys are sneaky.... never though of that..... could be  background of polystyrene (styrofoam) sheet, too, eh? Mmmmmm?...........

[Hans J]

Hi all ,

It seems Graham is on the right track ....but we dont live in a cave 

Paddy : no fungus
Robin : mhhhhhh ...
Luit : it is no macro
Ranunculus : I dont understand you
Maggi : yes the backround is styrofoam

Hans

[Anthony Darby]

Looks a bit like the fossilised club mosses we see on the coal bings near Falkirk i.e. fossilised wood.