Colchicum 2011

[krisderaeymaeker]

This weekend the second flower on Colchicum doerfleri. (first two pics)
On the other hand the flower of Colchicum hirsutum does'nt open ...     

[BULBISSIME]

Here are 2 small Colchicum from Jordan, unidentified. Could be C. ritchii but is really different from the description, and leaves are also much narrower.
Does anybody have an idea ??


edit ... much later.... see http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6438.msg228300#msg228300

[I.S.]

 Fred, I am not sure.
The first one looks like C. serpentinum (syn. falcifolium) which we have also in south east of TR.
For second one I am not sure!

[Miriam]

Hi Fred,

I think the first one is Colchicum schimperi which is a close species to C. ritchii but has narrower leaves and smaller flowers. It is described from Edom in Jordan.
C. ritchii has always 3 leaves-in the photo I see only 2...
Better ask the Expert for ID 

[BULBISSIME]

Thank's Ibrahim and Miriam.
In fact, the second one looks like C. schimperi, I'll search for it in the flora.
See you soon... 

[Janis Ruksans]

Here are 2 small Colchicum from Jordan, unidentified. Could be C. ritchii but is really different from the description, and leaves are also much narrower.
Does anybody have an idea ??

Fred, you must ask to Oron - he knows them perfectly.
Janis

[BULBISSIME]

Already done Janis   
Seems to be either C. tauri or C. shimperi but according to oron, taxonomy isn't very clear.

[Oron Peri]

Already done Janis  
Seems to be either C. tauri or C. shimperi but according to oron, taxonomy isn't very clear.

Despite looking quite different i think both belong to the same species, but in order to tell 100% bulbs should be checked, color of tunics and form of the bulb.

I also think Fred, and correct me if I'm wrong that the petals of the white form are not representative of this species , generally petals are more elongated, something in between these two forms you have photographed.

Colchicum shimperi has wider, 3-4 leaves.  

[BULBISSIME]

Well Oron, you should be right !
Here are 2 more pics with more elongated petals, but style is shorter than in the pink form. It's possibly a variation between plants.
leaves are very similar...


edit ... much later.... see http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6438.msg228300#msg228300

[Paul T]

Wow, Fred.  I love that first pic.  Very spidery petals, which make a great "feathery" clump.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Great show Fred ! Like the spidery ones ...
Here today in flower are :

Colchicum luteum "Vahsh" ( pic1 )
Colchicum brachyphyllum ( 2 & 3 )
Colchicum ritschii (4 )   

[Maggi Young]

Some really super Colchicum being shown here.


Here are some notes from a friend in New Zealand, Betty Clark, about how she grows from seed and also about how she finds some species to be with her...


RE: growing Colchicum from seed.
I collect the seed  as soon as it is ready I then put in paper bag and keep at room temperature for several days.
 Now this is my treatment for all bulbs:  A shaking of  stone chips in pot then half fill with Potting Mix then fill with seed mix.  Pour over a generous amount of boiling water to cleanse then when cold plant seeds on top bringing the pot to top with very fine stone chippings.   I do not cover and they stand on shade bench until they germinate. Last year I planted in margarine containers with holes and have had thousands of seeds grow. I leave them without disturbance for another year when I repot.  Have done these for the last 30 years and as you can imagine I am getting a little long in the tooth now.  It is impossible to identify colchicum by looking at the flower only. You need a year for measuring the leaves.

The first to flower with  me is C.byzantinum, in  March.    Differs from cilicium in that the stamens are curved at ends. They are tipped with crimson dull yellow segments. Rarely sets seed.  Leaves in early spring  are 30cm long ribbed and corrugated. It come later into leaf than C. baytopiorum.                                     
C arenarium, March, Pale pink punctate rounded at tip  Segments 2cm wide 3.5long   Leaves 2 to 5 per corm Often confused with C.alpininum which has  more leaves.           
C. balansae March  Several pink  flowers per corm   Hook on top of style with pale yellow stamens.   Leaves shiny green,segments 4 to 7cm long     Very deep corms             
 C. tenori  Halfway between tesselated form of agrippinum    In shape like C.autumnale, only crimson colour of stigmatic hook which is continued a little way down style.   

Collectors No HC  1051  Henning Christanson    Faintly chequered   I have a letter confirming that he had sent bulbs to Mary Evans which I now have. I still have her collection and hope too clean a lot up this year.

See this post for first mention of HC1051......
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3148.msg70357#msg70357

[ian mcenery]

Here is C kessellringii just into flower

[krisderaeymaeker]

Thank you Maggi for this information.
Time again for a few more flowering Colchicum.  
C. luteum 'Vahsh stil in good shape...
Second , Colchicum kesselringii 'Purple Star'

[LucS]

On the picture is a plant that I have under the Archibald number JJA14518. The only information that I have is that it was collected near Göktepe.
Does anyone recognise this Colchicum ?