Are they fertile?

[Diane Clement]

Can I resurrect this thread to retain the previous information on Hylomecon and its imposters.
Can anyone confirm or not whether this seed is Hylomecon japonicum?
Sorry I forgot to include a ruler, but the seeds are exactly 1mm diameter.

[Lesley Cox]

A while back Trond in Norway sent me 2 seeds of the true Hylomecon and 3, I believe to an Australian Forumist who may like to add something here. The seeds I received were round and not black, but a sort of leathery fawn colour but of course they may not have been fertile as they haven't germinated yet.

I'd put a large bet (if I were a gambler) on the seeds in your picture Diane, NOT being Hylomecon, but one of the Stylophorums, though the two I've had both had round seeds.

[Lesley Cox]

Now I've had an enlarged look, yours seem to be round but elongated by shadow. I'd still say not though.

[Maggi Young]

Can I resurrect this thread to retain the previous information on Hylomecon and its imposters.
Can anyone confirm or not whether this seed is Hylomecon japonica?
Sorry I forgot to include a ruler, but the seeds are exactly 1mm diameter.

I think those look like the "real thing", Diane. I will find my full size  photo of my seed and send it to you for comparison. I seem to recall mine were not very "fat" and so may not have been fertile but the shape is the same, I reckon.
Off to find the original photo.......

 

[Diane Clement]

I think those look like the "real thing", Diane. I will find my full size  photo of my seed and send it to you for comparison. I seem to recall mine were not very "fat" and so may not have been fertile but the shape is the same, I reckon.
Off to find the original photo....... 

Thanks Maggi.  Is this the photo you meant? It's just earlier on this same thread.

 Maggi's Hylomecon japonica

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Diane, that's the photo but I've been trying ( without success  ) to find the original full size picture, which would be of more use to you , since you could really magnify the image.

Sadly I cannot lay hands upon the blasted thing.       Sorry!

[Lesley Cox]

Diane, would it be acceptable for you to filch a couple or three seeds from the donation, and sow and grow them on, then assess the plants which eventuate for trueness? Quite literally, every donation of (ostensibly) Hylomecon japonica which has come over the last dozen or so years, has NOT been true, always a Stylophorum. It would be good, if these new ones ARE true, to idenitify a genuine source.

I most fortunately have 3 plants now from my original local source but the flowers are showing no signs of setting seed. I'm hand pollinating every flower but of course they are all divisions from the same clone. Stylophorum species set seed as easily as Iceland poppies!

[Diane Whitehead]

If there is not an unwieldy number of donors, could you keep all
the donations separate this year, and attach the donors' initials
to the packets?  (This is done by the RHS Lily Group, and I always
keep the donor's names on the labels).  Then when the plants
flower, the donors of proper seed could be identified.

Or maybe one member, or a public garden, could grow out a sample
from each of the donors.

[Robert Pavlis]

I never know Hylomecon japonica were so difficult to get. I have what I think is the true Hylomecon, and both Stylophorums. And Chelidonium majus seeds around even though I keep pulling it out.

I got my Hylomecon japonica as tubers in the fall from the someone in the Ontario Rock Garden Society. They have not spread much if at all.

I find Hylomecon, and Stylophorums to grow quite differently. Hylomecon is much shorter, and blooms earlier. It then goes underground, whereas  Stylophorum stays green all summer. I have never looked at Hylomecon leaves closely, but I don't think they are close to looking like any of the others.

I have a closer look and try to collect seed next spring.

[Robert Pavlis]

Hylomecon japonica and Stylophorum diphyllum opened today - so Hylomecon does not bloom earlier as I stated above. Mine is the true Hylomecon japonica.

Since I have all 4 plants in question I will document them in pictures this spring, and watch for Hylomecon seeds.

[Lesley Cox]

I do wish you well in a quest for seeds on your Hylomecon, Robert. No-one seems to manage it. I too (now) have a true plant but it didn't flower this last spring though it did the year before when I first bought it from a local nursery (now gone into retirement, unfortunately so I can't get some more as I'd like to do). But because I was moving, my bought plants (3) had to live in pots for some time and they don't like that. The little bit still alive from a single pot, was planted out as soon as I had a suitable place and looked fine through the spring and summer. Now in latish autumn there is a small leaf, rather sad and dark but still indubitably alive so I'm hoping it will come through the (currently dry) autumn/winter and do something more vigorous in the coming spring. It HATES to be dry!

[Robert Pavlis]

I collected Hylomecon seeds this week. Every pod except 1 had small seeds - 1mm long. One pod had 2 seeds, that were 2.5 mm in length. The shape of both is oval or cucumber shaped with the length about twice the width. Small ones are fairly dark, and the large ones are light brown colour.

[Robert Pavlis]

Has anyone successfully grown Hylomecon from seed and has a picture of the seed they used?

[Diane Clement]

Has anyone successfully grown Hylomecon from seed and has a picture of the seed they used? 

Robert, I don't think your seed pod looks correct, as I thought Hylomecon has long pods which split along the length. 
I have grown what I think is Hylomecon from seed which came damp packed from Japan, the picture of the seed was taken in November 2012.  The seed germinated in March 2013, with more germination in March 2014.  The first seedling flowered in 2014.  The seed pod picture is Maggi's, the other pictures are mine.  It has never set good seed with me, including from an older plant which was bought as a plant.

I am a bit puzzled by a remark earlier on this thread which says that hylomecon is not hairy at all, as these seed grown plants certainly are.  But they set long seed pods which I thought were diagnostic (although not containing fertile seed).  I'd be really pleased to hear any more thoughts on this subject as it's something I've been trying to unravel for years.

[Diane Clement]

And to add to the mystery, here is my original plant which was bought as a plant, which is somewhat different from the plants grown from seed.  The seed grown plants are more upright and sturdier, with almost woody stems.  The shape of the teeth on the leaf are also different.