Leucojum fontianum/tingitanum (again!)

Rodger Whitlock totototo@pacificcoast.net
Sat, 03 Apr 2004 14:40:04 PST
Baker published the name /Leucojum tingitanum/ in 1878.
Maire published the name /Leucojum fontianum/ in 1934.

Brian Mathew in the key in his 1987 "The Smaller Bulbs" distinguishes 
L. fontianum from L. tingitanum on the basis of the width of the 
leaf, describing the leaf of L. tingitanum as "linear" and that of L. 
fontianum as 6-8 mm wide.

Mathew further remarks "F. C. Stern, in 'Snowdrops and
Snowflakes', considered it [L. fontianum] to be a robust form of L.
tingitanum."


Another key on the web, googlable via "leucojum fontianum" 
(two hits), says "L. tingitanum...broad leaves (4 to 10 mm)".

It looks like my plant is what everyone else grows as L. tingitanum 
even though it agrees with Mathew's description of L. fontianum.

I'm confused. (this is nothing new) Do we have two species or one 
here? Is anyone growing L. tingitanum with a linear leaf rather than 
a wider keeled one?


Does any pbs list subscriber have access to a *good* botanical 
library in which they can look up the original descriptions by Baker 
and Maire for me?


BTW, if you use Google to recover the key I refer to, it's in French. 
If you use Google's translation feature, be aware that it slightly 
garbles the output, translating proper names (Maire -> "Mayor"), 
abbreviations (an abbreviated journal name "Jour. somethingorother"
comes out as "Day. Club-footed."), and turning fragments of text 
in other languages into nearly meaningless English.


-- 
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate

on beautiful Vancouver Island


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