Galanthus in the wild

[Kees Jan]

Here are some pics of Galanthus woronowii krasnovii, photographed 9 May 2007 at west of Artvin (NE Turkey). This plant was found in deciduous woodland and sometimes in subalpine meadows, growing with what I believe is Corydalis solida.

[mark smyth]

Those are, as far as I can tell, Galanthus krasnovii.

[Kees Jan]

Thanks Mark. Can you explain me the difference with G. woronowii? I'm surprised krasnovii is not mentioned in 'The bulbous plants of Turkey and Iran'. Is it a recently described species?

[mark smyth]

if you look at the first photo and the lowest flower you will see a distinct nose on the inner petal. The majority of Galanthus have a notch taken out of the petal. Did you take any macro photos?

Here is G. krasnovii and below it a snowdriop showing a typical notch

[Kees Jan]

Thanks! Here are some clearer pictures of krasnovii from Kafkasör Yaylasi, just west of Artvin (NE Turkey).

[mark smyth]

not wanting to throw you and viewers in another direction they could be G. platyphyllus but I have never seen it

[mark smyth]

according to Aaron Davis, in the Genus Galanthus,  G. krasnovii is found in Georgia with G. platyphyllus in NE Turkey

[Martin Baxendale]

Davis says krasnovii grows in both Georgia and northeast Turkey, including the Artvin area, where these photos were taken, where it was discovered only in 1987 so would only feature in a recent flora not an older one. The pics at the start of this thread look right to me for krasnovii, so I'm sure your first guess was spot on Mark. Davis gives the distribution of Platyphyllus as only Georgia and Russia.

[Kristian]

In Flora of Turkey and East Aegean Islands - Vulume 11 (supplement 2) they confirm that the recorded specimens in the herbarium at Tbilisi is Galanthus krasnovii. This collect was made near Artvin (published in 1963).

Further it is stated that G. krasnovii is easily separated from all other Galanthus species except G. platyphyllus. The late does not occur in Turkey, and the apex of each inner perianth segment is obtuse.

[Andrew]

Welcome Kristian.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, welcome Kristian , thank you for your contribution.

[Anthony Darby]

Golly - superb photos Kees. My krasnovii came from NE Turkey. It is a snow-melt species and quite distinct, as Mark says. I think platyphyllus has less of a point on the inner petal, being more rounded with little or no sinus.

[Martin Baxendale]

Sorry, I didn't read AAron Davis' note about G. krasnovii carefully enough. He says it was rediscovered at Artvin in NE Turkey in 1987, not discovered. As Kristian rightly points out, there were specimens in the Tblisi herbarium since 1963, but these were not confirmed as being krasnovii until quite recently (I assume after the species was rediscovered in the same area in 1987). Before this, the 1963 collection specimens were designated as 'a doubtfully recorded species.'

While we're on the subject of G. krasnovii and G. platyphyllus, anyone have any experience of growing platyphyllus? I got a couple of bulbs last year to use in my breeding programme, but I don't know what sort of garden conditions have been found to suit it. The books are a bit vague as it's not been long or widely in cultivation. Anyone had successes or disasters that might help me decide where to place or not place it in the garden?

[Martin Baxendale]

Meant to say that I'm assuming, as a mountain plant found in wet pastures, G. platyphyllus would like not to be too dry in summer, maybe even moist. But that doesn't always follow in the garden, as there's a vast difference between running meltwater and a soggy peat bed. Anyone got practical experience they can pass on?

[Rafa]

Kees Thanks you very much for sharing these amazing pictures of wild Galanthus.