Crocus March 2012

[Guff]

1-2 Uklin Strain

[Sinchets]

I agree, Simon. And this can only be assessed by extensive fieldwork.

I also think it is difficult to base any decisions on fragmented populations in areas which have been subject to extensive habitat change caused by thousands of years of agriculture and pastoralism.

[Janis Ruksans]

I  I can agree with Simon  persica and  best sample is Fritillaria variation, I'm confused by great variation in 2n for C. chrysanthus, although for plants it is not so important as for ani,mals and then question comes about C. biflorus
Janis

[Sinchets]

I agree, Janis. 2n can be variable for plants without being deleterious. But if one plant has a 2n of 8 and the same species is listed as having a 2n of 10 and these extra 2 chromosomes are just extra copies of 1 particular chromosome, then is it a new species or just a plant with more than 1 copy of the same chromosome? It doesn't have any new information just more of the same information. 

[Janis Ruksans]

Simon, I'm not great specialist, but I suppose that then it is regarded as same species in many cases. So it was explained to me by Arnis. My German friends - professional genetics - wrote me "DNA is excellent but it must be supported by morphology, too.". Sometimes DNA don't show impportant differences (researched are is some part of all complex) butmorphology clearly show you - plants are different. It is opposit situation.
Janis
P.S. I'm writing from Airport of Athens waiting next fly.

[ronm]

travel safe, Janis,

[Armin]

1-2 Uklin Strain

nice clumps, Guff!
They seem to like your climate

[Guff]

Armin thanks.

1-2 Carpathian Wonder

[udo]

Guff, nice 'Carpathian Wonder' !

Here a similar form, Crocus heuffelianus 'Snow Princess' and
a Crocus receive under scepusiensis from Cakor Pass ( border Kosovo and Montenegro )

[Sinchets]

Flowering today- some colour forms of Crocus flavus.

[ronm]

Both lovely, Simon , but I particularly like the pale form . It seems to have a beautiful pure clean colour in the shot. Is this a form you have selected or from someone else?

[Sinchets]

We selected both of them, Ron. There generally isn't much variation in this species in the wild here- so it's good to see something different now and then.

[Armin]

Guff,
Dirk,
I like all C. vernus from heuffelianus/scepusiensis complex. Excellent!

Simon,
the pale C. flavus is lovely. I like the broad sepals.

[Sinchets]

Thanks, Armin.
A side shot of another pale C.flavus.
The weather here is in turbo mode at the moment. A few days ago these Bulgarian forms of Crocus tomasinianus were still under snow. Today they had 25C and some brutal bees to contend with.

[udo]

Simon, this pale yellow Crocus flavus is a beautiful plant.

Here 'some' Crocus vernus ssp.albiflorus var.napolitanus f.drebachensis in the small town Drebach in Sachsen/ Germany.

Near the church on the first pic was the beginn with one plant.
Over 300 years later, this Crocus grown on over 7 hectare.