Colchicum

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John

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Colchicum
« on: September 10, 2011, 03:05:12 PM »
I'll place this here as it is obvious it is a colchicum but we can ask our learned friend to guess the species! Or anyone else for that matter. Jorun?
« Last Edit: September 26, 2011, 05:40:07 PM by oron peri »
John
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JTh

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2011, 05:45:07 PM »
I'm not that learned, John. I have a white Colchicum in bloom here in Norway now, C. album, but it does not look like that one.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2011, 10:47:03 PM by JTh »
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oron peri

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2011, 06:04:16 PM »
Do i see a faded sign of tesseleation?
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oron peri

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2011, 06:12:46 PM »
I dont think anyone can tell which species it is, it can be at least 8 species that i can think of.
I have doubts about one species or to precise, a white form of that species. That is why i asked the question earlier.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2011, 09:12:53 PM by oron peri »
Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

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John

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2011, 08:05:35 PM »
Yes Oron it does have a very faint trace of markings which are tessellated. Not a pure albino. It is perhaps quite an obscure species and not that well known.
John
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oron peri

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2011, 09:11:17 PM »
Well. its obvious that is a white form, my first guess would be C. graecum, second C. sfikasianum.
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Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
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John

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Re: Colchicum, Oron which is this?
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2011, 10:25:14 PM »
Well done but your second choice. C. sfikasianum.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

The Cypriot

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Colchicum
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2011, 05:00:57 PM »
I thought I would start a Colchicum topic folder.


Starting with Colchicum cupanii

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MikeHardman

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2011, 09:24:08 PM »
Is this the same species?
I photographed it on the Akamas peninsula this afternoon (there were a few in the path around Pissouromoutti, favouring pine woods, where it was cooler and damper).
I am not sure of the distribution of C. sfikasianum.

However...
Desmond Meikle (Flora of Cyprus) mentions three species of C., none of which ticks all the boxes.
C. troodi is given as flowering Sept-Nov (tick), but not in this area.
C. stevenii is not in this area according to the book, flowers a bit later, is not in the same habitat, and is very rare.
C. pusillum is not in the area, but Supplement IV includes C. pusillum at a locality not far away. But its flowering period is given as Nov-Dec.

I don't know how to tell the species apart - Cc. sfikasianum and pusillum...

For reference:
- The Check-List of the Genus Colchicum in the Flora of Turkey includes C. pusillum (as C. montanum var. pusillum) and includes Cyprus in its range.
- C. pusillum is the only species of C. in the Virtual Cypriot Biodiversity Museum.

Updated 25sep11 22.08pm (UK time): I had been looking in the wrong volume when I stated
"Desmond Meikle (Flora of Cyprus) does not mention any Colchicum species"
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:03:47 PM by Alisdair »
Mike
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I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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John

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2011, 09:51:00 PM »
I believe that C. sfikasianum is quite localised to the Peloponnese and is normally pink tesselated. Some species are very variable and this may be the case with yours here.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:04:43 PM by Alisdair »
John
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oron peri

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2011, 04:20:56 AM »
Mike
It is Colchicum troodi.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:05:20 PM by Alisdair »
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Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

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John

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2011, 07:29:52 AM »
troodi
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:05:44 PM by Alisdair »
John
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MikeHardman

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2011, 08:50:17 AM »
Thank you Oron.

I can also confirm this in relation to the Flora of Cyprus now.
'Contributions to the flora of Cyprus I' includes an update to C. troodi, on p.62:
"Colchicum troodi Kotschy
+ Division 1: Neo Chorio, steep slope with scattered
trees and bushes.
The population shows a wide range of variation already described by Meikle
(1985: 1594). The perianth segments vary from narrowly oblong to almost
obovate, their colour from white to vivid pink. K. P. Buttler"
That locality is on the Akamas peninsula, not far from 'my' plants.

The Contributions (I)- and Supplementary Notes (I-IV)- to the Flora of Cyprus can be downloaded from www.ingentaconnect.com (open access). (Search for 'Flora of Cyprus' in the search box on the home page.)
Note that (V) has two additional PDFs: 'colour plate's and 'errata', but the search doesn't find them. For that, see
http://www.bgbm.org/willdenowia/willd36/hand.htm
That page also includes a link to an index to taxa in I-V (not VI).

It is always a bit aggravating not to know what a plant is (maybe more than a bit), especially one you see often.
I have seen this Colchicum at various places along the Akamas ridge over the years, so it is very good to have this settled.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:06:03 PM by Alisdair »
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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oron peri

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Colchicum troodi
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2011, 09:19:40 AM »
Mike
Sorry but i had to delete the exact location you just gave.

We try in the different Forums not to give exact locations in the wild  of Bulbous plants, Rare or protected species as there are many commercial plunderes out there which will get every where possible in order to make some money!!!
Oron
 
« Last Edit: September 27, 2011, 08:06:22 PM by Alisdair »
Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

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Alisdair

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Colchicum variegatum
« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2011, 07:59:20 PM »
For John Fielding's photo of C. variegatum click here.
Alisdair Aird
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