South African Bulbs 2011

[ArnoldT]

Alberto:

Attached leaf cross section of Gladiolus huttonii.  It's X-shaped in cross section.

[ArnoldT]

Unknown Lachenalia.

Any suggestions?

[Maggi Young]

Perhaps a colour form of Lachenalia liliflora, Arnold?
see a super photo here at the UBC site: http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2007/01/lachenalia_liliflora.php

[ArnoldT]

Magi:

Thanks for the lead.  The stem is very thick as is the one I have.

[Maggi Young]

I wondered about the foliage, Arnold... since I couldn't see yours

[ArnoldT]

I'll have a look later when I get home.  It think it was pustulate.

[fermi de Sousa]

A few South Africans in bloom in our garden.
Nerine fothergilla "Major"


Nerine rosea


Oxalis flava (mauve pink form)


Moraea polstachya


Crossyne flava


cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

A belated comment on the Daubenya on a previous page........ Gorgeous!!    I haven't seen the orange intermediate before (I've never seen ANY of them in real life as yet), and it is such a good colour.  Thanks for showing us, particularly that wonderful shot of the 3 colours together.

Excellent pics posted throughout this topic.  Thanks everyone.

[Darren]

Some more forms of Gladiolus orchidiflorus are now in flower.

The first is of similar tall stature to the one on the previous page but has brownish, frilly flowers.

The second is one of the compact forms at 30cm high and is pinker in colour (the flower looks distorted as it is not quite fully open yet) it also has neater foliage (3 main veins instead of 5 on the big forms) and smaller flowers.

Susan tells me that she can detect little scent on the big green one but the brownish one is stronger and the little pink one best of all.

The last two are recently scanned slides from my South Africa talk, showing my encounter with this species in habitat in the West Coast National Park at Langebaan. The dune behind it hides a view of a lagoon full of flamingos! This is a tall, deep green form, similar to mine on the previous page but slightly darker in colour.

[daveyp1970]

Darren i have said it before they are just are stunning,can i ask from which plant did the small corms you sent me come off so i can put some more info on the label.

[ArnoldT]

Further to the unknown Lachenalia.

It has a single lorate leaf about 30 cm long with pustules on the upper surface.  The leaf is green changing to a maroon towards the end..  Flowers are 18 mm long and the anthers are exserted about 14 mm beyond the flower.  I detected a faint pleasant scent.
 

[Darren]

Hi Davey - almost certainly the taller green form. I only say this because the pink one barely hangs on, let alone increases, and the brownish one is the 'weed' that appeared in a pot of Calochortus tolmei.

[daveyp1970]

Hi Davey - almost certainly the taller green form. I only say this because the pink one barely hangs on, let alone increases, and the brownish one is the 'weed' that appeared in a pot of Calochortus tolmei.

you star thank you,by the way they are growing fantastic.

[Alex]

Babiana pygmaea today. I get the brown spots on the leaves every year, they are unsightly but the plant still grows OK.

[daveyp1970]

what a flower that is,does it produce seed for you because if so you might get some clean plants that way.