October 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Gerdk]

a few from me, Viola hederacea (isn't that now something else, not even a viola?) 

Mark, This species a long time ago was named Erpetion reniforme but thanks God it became reintegrated to the violets!

Gerd

[cohan]

Hans, Narcissus elegans is awesome!  Love it

Now some actual discussion on the challenging cushion plants, the North American buckwheats or Eriogonum. It seems that the species E. androsaceum is one that "falls through the cracks", a legitimate species but one that does not show up much when doing a google search, and almost no reliable photos seem to be available.  I checked the pages of James Reveal, the father of Eriogonum, at: http://www.plantsystematics.org/reveal/  
but in the photo galleries there are no photos of E. androsaceum, although he has an entry for it being a legit species.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ERAN5

I went searching the references, and found an article entitled "Some Elegant Eriogonums" by Roy Davidson, Bulletin of the American Rock Garden Society, Vol.34, Fall 1976, No.4, which reports: "a congested bun, forming a domed, rosy-tinted mound with brown-marcescent leaves below, the fresh ones pallid green cobwebbed with hairs, turning pretty pinkish and then to a soft brown-rose. Above this the flowers are a strong yellow, of mustard richness, and also with a rosy glow, topping off short stalks with a midway interruption of small leafy bracts.  This might be sometimes listed as a taxonomic ally of E. flavum, from which it is said to differ markely in its compact habit and consequent greater appeal to the gardener; certainly it is rich reward in itself, a fairly glowing polster."

From Cohan's photos, I can't make out whether there are some cauline leafy bracts on the flowering stems, and Lori as you point out, the floras report that this characteristic (mid stem bracts) is not necessarily consistent, although from what I can see in my research, E. flavum has such intermediate stem bracts, whereas E. androsaceum does not. Maybe Mr. Reveal could offer an opinion, his email is available on the link I provide.

mark, i have more and larger photos than what i posted here, although unfortunately none were taken specifically to show the features of the flower stalk--the problem with consulting floras after leaving the field with photos! however, i do not think there are any bracts midstalk  from what i can see in the full size images(only this one plant of the 5 had flowers, none of the others had even dried stalks)..
here are a couple of closer views of flowers and leaves...these are again the plant with widest leaves..

certainly the habit is very very different from the E flavum which i saw in southern alberta--a far larger and more open plant(not large, but compared to these tiny things..), though still, to me, very desirable..

Edit by maggi:
Now determined to be Eriogonum androsaceum see http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5641.msg173849#msg173849 frof comments from Dr. James L. Reveal, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland and noted authority on the genus Eriogonum

[cohan]

certainly the habit is very very different from the E flavum which i saw in southern alberta--a far larger and more open plant(not large, but compared to these tiny things..), though still, to me, very desirable..

for comparison, here are two pics of E flavum from southern alberta..

[Lori S.]

No, there are certainly no prominent, midstem bracts (as on E. flavum and E. umbellatum) on your plant, nor ever on the ones I see in abundance in certain areas around here.

However, as I zoom in on my many photos of what I assumed to be E. ovalifolium, and try to apply the basis of E. ovalifolium having 3 bracts and no peduncles, and E. androsaceum having 5-7 bracts and stipes/peduncles, I'm starting to wonder now if the ones I see aren't actually E. androsaceum??  

I haven't seen any flowers that were "strong yellow" (re. Davidson) on these plants though, not even as they age.

(By the way, Moss/Packer's key also notes, as the final distinguishing feature that E. androsaceum has "flowers attentuate, with a stipe-like base" while E. ovalifolium has "flowers not attentuate, lacking a stipe-like base".  I'm not seeing that they are exactly attenuate, but if I'm interpreting it correctly, there may be a stipe-like base.)  

Hmm, guess I'll have to dissect flowers next year to see if the tepals vary in shape from the outer flowers to the inner ones (as in E. ovalifolium)... ??

As noted, it's definitely very curious that E. androsaceum is spoken of in glowing terms as a rock garden plant in several accounts, yet there seems to be essentially no photo record... !

[Mark Griffiths]

thanks for the correction on the allium name.

Gerdk, perhaps this is a reason for holding onto old plant labels, sooner or later the name will come back into being correct!

[Paddy Tobin]

Hans,

I'm mad, mad, mad jealous of your Arbutus unedo. Although it is native to parts of Ireland I have never managed to keep it growing more than ten years here in the garden and, even then, it was always on the way out, looked a bit sick in itself, struggling to cling to life. Such a pity. Lovely to see it growing so well. Beautiful fruit, as you say, but insipid.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

I'm trying to think if I know of an Arbutus unedo d growing well and fruiting in Aberdeen. There may be one at the Cruickshank Botanic Garden.... Roma will know better than I.
However, without wishing to ruin Paddy's day completely, I do know that 60 or so miles south of us, in Invergowrie, by Dundee and the shores of the Tay, Margaret and Henry Taylor have a large and impressive specimen in their garden. 

[Paddy Tobin]

Maggi,

There are many, many healthy and well-growing arbutus growing here in Ireland. It is naturalised in parts of the country. It is just that I haven't managed to keep it going here  in the garden. Such a nice plant.
Paddy

[Graham Catlow]

Maggi,

There are many, many healthy and well-growing arbutus growing here in Ireland. It is naturalised in parts of the country. It is just that I haven't managed to keep it going here  in the garden. Such a nice plant.
Paddy

I have one in a very large tub in the garden and it grows well and flowers too, but it rarely sets fruit, so I don't get wonderful bunches like Hans.
Graham

[Roma]

There is a large plant of Arbutus unedo in the Cruickshank Botanic Garden.  It Flowers well but I do not remember ever seeing fruit on it.

[cohan]

No, there are certainly no prominent, midstem bracts (as on E. flavum and E. umbellatum) on your plant, nor ever on the ones I see in abundance in certain areas around here.

However, as I zoom in on my many photos of what I assumed to be E. ovalifolium, and try to apply the basis of E. ovalifolium having 3 bracts and no peduncles, and E. androsaceum having 5-7 bracts and stipes/peduncles, I'm starting to wonder now if the ones I see aren't actually E. androsaceum??  

I haven't seen any flowers that were "strong yellow" (re. Davidson) on these plants though, not even as they age.

(By the way, Moss/Packer's key also notes, as the final distinguishing feature that E. androsaceum has "flowers attentuate, with a stipe-like base" while E. ovalifolium has "flowers not attentuate, lacking a stipe-like base".  I'm not seeing that they are exactly attenuate, but if I'm interpreting it correctly, there may be a stipe-like base.)  

Hmm, guess I'll have to dissect flowers next year to see if the tepals vary in shape from the outer flowers to the inner ones (as in E. ovalifolium)... ??

As noted, it's definitely very curious that E. androsaceum is spoken of in glowing terms as a rock garden plant in several accounts, yet there seems to be essentially no photo record... !

looking up stipe didn't help me a lot in reference to these flowers, since it seems to be a kind of vague term used for various kinds of supporting stalks..maybe it would be clear if you actually had samples of those with and without the added stalk/'stipe-like base' to compare..
i'll be interested to hear what you find next year.since this is the only place i have seen these plants, i can't guarantee i will see them in flower, i was probably lucky to see the one plant in flower so late this time...

[ashley]

Here A. unedo crops regularly, though not as profusely as Hans'.  However I like the taste of the fruit (from my clone anyway) even if the texture is a bit gritty.  Unfortunately we've never had enough to try cooking or baking with them.   

[Paddy Tobin]

Stop boasting, Ashley, you are practically living in the Caribbean.

Paddy

[ashley]

 

Last winter was distinctly un-Caribbean Paddy and there may be more to come so I'm not bothering to replace any tender things that were lost. 

[Lesley Cox]

Later in the year then, I'll be able to post pics of Arbutus unedo fruiting so much that the ground underneath becomes a disgusting mushy carpet of red and yellow (uncooked) jam, especially when overhanging an asphalt path.