What is a bulb?

Richard richrd@nas.com
Sun, 06 May 2012 10:10:05 PDT
Better to qualify this definition as a Bulb 'sensu lato' or alternately in the sense of pacific bulb society. I love them all. Especially the range of their habitats, from extremely dry to truly aquatic a growth strategy many very different plants have attained. Purposed from energy storage to avoiding browsers to shallow growth in anoxic muck.

I'm in midst this weekend writing an article for our nursery catalog about geophytes, the ones we grow, their role in nature and how they are and might be used in environmental restoration. 

Question does anyone have any articles, case studies or anecdotes about  'bulbs' in vegetation restoration? 

I'm using the anatomical definition of a bulb and been having fun lately digging up growing bulbs for photographing. What fascinated me from the beginning of my experiences growing bulbs was how a Camas seed for example seed germinated on the surface and grows into the ground resulting in a long narrow neck that can be traced to the surface in an undisturbed bulb. A growing process that can be followed year to year. 

If you only dig the bulbs after they are dormant you might miss another structure, the contractile root, that pulls the young bulb deeper into the soil. Handling young true bulbs by planting at mature depth can result in a poor stand, although shallow in our climate puts in freeze zone. Mulch it.

Here is one of my favorite PNW native geophytes, Corydalis scouleri, Scouler's fumewort. Insignificant flowers  but ahhh the foliage and the 3 foot tall colonies that thrive in heavy shade of moist mixed forests. 
http://flic.kr/p/bTJnmT/
http://flic.kr/p/bEPBj1/
and our very common native relative, Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa.
http://flic.kr/p/bRNnvP/

Rich H
Bellingham, Wa.


On May 6, 2012, at 7:52 AM, Mary Sue Ittner wrote

> In response to Andrew's question under the subject heading Thelymitra 
> article I am giving the link again to the wiki page that describes 
> what we have decided to include on the wiki. The wiki administrators 
> took some time to discuss and decide this. We decided to be inclusive 
> rather than exclusive thinking there was benefit in providing 
> information. As always with such a broad group of possibilities, if 
> something gets added to the wiki, it is because the person who added 
> it chose to spend the time doing so. That is why some genera have a 
> lot of information and photos, others not as much, and probably many 
> potential genera are not represented at all. All members of this list 
> can add to the wiki, but it does take a bit of time to learn how to 
> do it. We really appreciate those people who contribute.




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