Erythronium

[Ian Y]

Diane from the picture there are three possible contenders for your second erythronium.
The white pollen suggests E. californicum, well marked leaves are typical of this species. E. 'White Beauty' is almost certainly a vigorous selection of californicum.
Without seeing the filaments I cannot rule out E. oregonum lecuandrum.
And the third possible id is a hybrid between the above two species.
A detailed picture looking into a flowers showing the shape of the filaments is required.

[Ian Y]

Susan, I have just read further back and seen your unknown erythronium which I think you correctly think is multiscapoideum.
If the scape brances low down into a number of long pedicels each with a single flower then it is multscapoideum.
There are a number of other very similar white erythroniums each with a yellow centre such citrinum, howellii, helenae.
My seeds that I recieved from Ron Ratko this year are now germinating, hurray - hurray.
More on this in the bulb log if I can get it written before I head off to Dublin on Wednesday, to talk on Thursday - BULB LOG LIVE - see you there.

[Paddy Tobin]

Back to a few ordinary erythroniums, but then again they are only ordinary because they do well in the garden.

[Diane Clement]

A detailed picture looking into a flowers showing the shape of the filaments is required.

Thanks for this so far, Ian.  I'll try and get another picture of inside but they are going over fast with recent unseasonal heat.
My Ratko erythroniums are not yet showing any signs of germination although dicots from him are coming up well at the moment. 

[Afloden]

Brian and Susan,
 
 I am always interested in trading. I am currently looking for Chinese Polygonatum, or Muscari species. Forms of Muscari muscarimi and macrocarpum interest me greatly as do the small "grape hyacinth" types, the rarer ones. So many other things also interest me. Reply off-list for further discussing.

 For western Erythronium, henderonii is the one I want the most. I bought seed twice and have never had any luck. I want to make a spring trip to see them all some year, but next is out. Maybe the following?

 Best,

 Aaron

[Ed Alverson]

Aaron,

I can easily send you some fresh seed of E. hendersonii if you would like, garden grown and not wild, if that will work for you.  It will be ripe in about 8 weeks.

[Michael]

This was a unknown genus to me. Very nice flowers AND leaves!

[Diane Whitehead]

In the 2007/08 issue of Lilies and Related Plants, which has just arrived,
there is an article by Brian Mathew on Erythronium.

He mentions the "Sulphur Form" of E. oregonum which has been grown
in the U.K. for many years.  When he visited Oregon, he saw it growing
in a garden there, and was told it came from Kelley Butte.

Now, there are two Oregon places with a similar name.  Kelley Butte
is a small park almost in downtown Portland, and Kelly Butte is in a volcanic
area almost in the middle of the state, in Deschutes National Forest.

Can one of our Oregon members tell me which is the most likely place
for me to go next spring to look for one?

[Ian Y]

Thanks for this information Diane, it sounds like I need to get a copy of Lilies and related Plants.
Erythronium oregonum sulphur form also appears regularly misnamed as E. citrinum.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for this information Diane, it sounds like I need to get a copy of Lilies and related Plants.
Erythronium oregonum sulphur form also appears regularly misnamed as E. citrinum.

Is this a publication of one or other of the societies please, it sounds ineresting?

[Diane Whitehead]

Yes, it is the yearbook of the RHS Lily Group, which is celebrating its
75th year next year.  Membership costs 10 pounds.  Non-members
may also buy Lilies and Related Plants.  Details are on the website:
http://rhslilygroup.org/

The group has a good seed exchange which always includes many
wild-collected seeds.  Last year's list included 190 offerings of Lilium
species (and 10 of Erythronium).  The list comes out in January.
One must buy the seeds, and this helps keep the membership fee
low.

[Ed Alverson]

Diane,

The on-line place name index that I use lists 4 different places named "Kelly Butte" in Oregon, and another named "Kelly's Butte".  The one in Deschutes County is very unlikely because it is outside the known range of Erythronium oregonum.  The others, located near Portland, Eugene (two) and Roseburg are all within the range of E. oregonum.  If I had to guess, I would say that the Portland one is most likely, followed by Eugene, but this is just a guess.

Can anyone describe how the "sulphur form" is different from Erythronium oregonum ssp. leucandrum?

Ed

[Diane Whitehead]

From the Cyclamen Society June 2007 journal:

The editor, Chris Clennett, has just finished a PhD.  The thesis
topic:  "A taxonomic revision of Erythronium L. (Liliaceae)

I wonder if it would be possible to see this?

[Ian Y]

Ed, I think that Etrythronium oregonum "sulphur form" is one and the same thing as Erythronium oregonum ssp. leucandrum which is the proper name for it.

Diane, I have also been aware of the Phd study and hope that it will get published so we can all read it.