May 2012 in the Northern Hemisphere

[WimB]

I'll open this months topic with some plants that were flowering here today:

Iris cristata x gracilipes
Pinguicula corsica
Pinguicula grandiflora
and Uvularia grandiflora

[Maggi Young]

I always like to see Pinguiculas, don't know why they appeal so much.

Here the Uvularias are still just bronze coloured spikes rising up from the ground.

[WimB]

I always like to see Pinguiculas, don't know why they appeal so much.

I love them a lot too...they are just very nice plants! Do you grow some too, Maggi?

[Maggi Young]

I don't any more, Wim . I used to grow quite a few, hardy ones and some ofthe tender ones that became available for a while here. One summmer that had some real summer weather, I lost them all by letting them fry in the heat. 

All my own fault, I'm afraid.

[WimB]

I don't any more, Wim . I used to grow quite a few, hardy ones and some ofthe tender ones that became available for a while here. One summmer that had some real summer weather, I lost them all by letting them fry in the heat. 

All my own fault, I'm afraid.

You want some seeds of hardy ones?? I can share some in a month or so!

[Maggi Young]

That would be most welcome, Wim, thank you.

[WimB]

That would be most welcome, Wim, thank you.

You're welcome! I've send you a PM.

[TheOnionMan]

I'll open this months topic with some plants that were flowering here today:

Iris cristata x gracilipes

Wim, please tell me all about this Iris cross! What's the history of said cross.  Do you have a photo that shows the foliage and whole plant.  I'm trying to see the gracilipes influence, which I imagine would show more in the foliage.  I'm most curious, as I've read of people claiming they don't see any gracilipes influence and question the validity of the cross:
http://mailman.science.uu.nl/pipermail/alpine-l/2003-September/008863.html

[Darren]

Our best ever flowering of Daphne cneorum 'Velky Kosir'.  It is at the foot of a big D. tangutica which is also flowering well. Lots to sniff!

[WimB]

Wim, please tell me all about this Iris cross! What's the history of said cross.  Do you have a photo that shows the foliage and whole plant.  I'm trying to see the gracilipes influence, which I imagine would show more in the foliage.  I'm most curious, as I've read of people claiming they don't see any gracilipes influence and question the validity of the cross:
http://mailman.science.uu.nl/pipermail/alpine-l/2003-September/008863.html

Mark,

I wish I could tell you all, but I know only little about this plant. The person I got it from had bought it years ago from Ingwersen's Nursery.....I don't really see any gracilipes influence either, but maybe the cristata genes are very dominant. Here below some more pics. Let us know what you think!

[David King]

A visit to Cambridge Botanic Gardens yesterday.  Rather nice Protea in flower.  Unfortunately couldn't locate any labels. 

[TheOnionMan]

Wim, it sure looks like straight I. cristata to me.  This weekend, both species will be in bloom, I'll look at mine carefully, to see if there's anything the slightest bit "gracilipes-like" there in your photos.  I think it's a nice cristata ;-)

[Lesley Cox]

I agree with that Mark and Wim. Probably someone did a transfer of pollen and assumed the seedlings were of the cross which, in the event, didn't take and seed of only cristata was produced. There's nothing remotely gracilipes-like there.

We can assume nothing about seed. Once I collected seed in the wild, of Celmisia lyallii, a stiffly leaved native daisy. The resultant seedlings showed that as well as lyallii itself, there had been pollen transferred from at least 4 other celmisia species in the vicinity. There were two quite different grey-leaved seedlings, one round leaved and the other narrow and short like C. sessiliflora and yet another with fine, grass-like green leaves probably from C. gracilenta and another with quite furry foliage, especially underneath. All could be related to different species growing in the same area, and all these from a single seed head.

[ashley]

A visit to Cambridge Botanic Gardens yesterday. 

Stunning photos David.

[David King]

Thanks Ashley.  New camera so pleased with results so far.  Have a few more to process and post.