December 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[ajbroome]

Folks,

This was obtained as a form of Arisaema consanguineum from Eric Gouda.  It may be true to name or it may be A. ciliatum.  I always have trouble working out the exact differences.  It's not stoloniferous however...

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

These were obtained as Arisaema erubescens from seed grown plants.  I'm thinking a hybrid involving any of the following, A. erubescens, A. ciliatum and A. consanguineum.  Big robust plants.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

The first of my 'typical' A. consaguineum to flower for the year.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Arisaema flavum (previously known as A. flavum abbreviatum but apparently that name is no longer considered valid).  I have spare plants of this if anyone in NZ wants me to put their name on them for when they go dormant.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Arisaema ringens.  Flowering very late, possibly due to mis-treatment on my part.  These are spare if anyone in NZ wants me to put their name on them for when they go dormant.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

I've no idea what this Arisaema taiwanense thinks it's up to.  It's flowered perfectly normally in the past.  I wonder if the growing point got damaged while it was dormant.  I have cats...

Andrew

[ajbroome]

Folks,

I'm guessing this is either A. consanguineum or A. ciliatum.  It popped up in a pot of Tigridia for some reason.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Some of my 'backyard biodiversity' for today.  One of the advantages of being hideously lazy is that since the garden is full of weeds, I get lots of interesting critters...

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

More backyard diversity.

Andrew.

[arillady]

Andrew what is your profession? You know the names for all your bugs so you can't be that lazy.
Pat

[ajbroome]

Pat,

I'm a professional dogsbody in a research chemistry lab for Fonterra (http://www.fonterra.com).

The IDs may or may not be correct although I have a fairly extensive library.

Andrew.

[cohan]

Folks,
Some of my 'backyard biodiversity' for today.  One of the advantages of being hideously lazy is that since the garden is full of weeds, I get lots of interesting critters...
Andrew.

lots of cool critters, worth the weeds  btw, do you mean regular garden weeds, or volunteer natives? (i.e.:not really weeds
the arisaemas are endlessly fascinating, too..

[Lesley Cox]

My own view of certain Arisaema species is no doubt vastly over-simplified but in my book the pin-striped ones (above) are ciliatum and the plain green, often with maroon at the outer tip or on the upper half of the spathe, are consanguineum. I am pretty sure that they hybridize though. In my garden all the (green) consanguineums are taller and have more and more wavy leaflets, than the (pin-striped) ciliatums. Neither is stoloniferous precisely but both make a good number of very tiny to rather larger babies which are loose on and around the parent tubers, at lifting time.

[Lesley Cox]

Andrew, I don't think your red Gladiolus is 'Robinette,' or not if mine IS, anyway. Mine has white flakes on the lower three petals, each flake surrounded by a cerise, streaky area and this surrounded by the solid pure red. Yours is very nice, It would be good to have a name for it.

[ajbroome]

Lesley,

Supposedly the easiest way (according to Guzman) to distinguish A. consanguineum from A. ciliatum is that A. ciliatum is stoloniferous.  There are apparently green forms of A. ciliatum and red/stripey versions of A. consanguineum.

I have a plant from the Dunedin gardens (ex Mr. Toole) that appears to be A. ciliatum ciliatum, rather than the more commonly cultivated A. ciliatum liubaense.

And, as for the Gladiolus, it came from a friends mothers garden so any label is well lost.  Nice plant though.

Andrew.