PBS Forum

Plants labelled as A. spiralis has been reasonably common in UK nurseries as a pot/house plant for at least 3 years. Plants are quite rubust, with approx. cylindrical leaves that make around 20cm in height with a robust pedicel that reached 5cm or so above the leaves. Leaves grow in a spiral, as in a catherine wheel, to varying degrees. Bulbs are approx. round.

Albuca spiralis | Pacific Bulb Society

I have recently bought two plants labelled A. namaquensis, which very quickly sent out leaves when potted into just damp compost. So far the leaves are all growing as flat corkscrews. Bulbs are flattened round.

Albuca namaquensis | Pacific Bulb Society

Several months ago I bought two small bulbs labelled as T. tortillis. The dried leaves attached were/are flat and folded back and forth onto themselves. No new growth  above ground so far but they have probably rooted. Bulbs are elongated.

Top photo' here (I cannot find a PBS entry for this name) -
Trachyandra Tortilis Succulents (thisiswhyimbroke.com)

Photo's online of all of these show a lot of variation in leaf shape and growth pattern, including ones here on PBS. One source online (which I cannot find at the moment), suggests that A. namaquensis and T. tortilis are the same plant.

Thoughts?

Trachyandra do not have bulbs. They have a cluster of succulent roots similar to Bulbine or even Kniphofia.
If it has a bulb then it is something else - most likely an Albuca. Flowers will confirm.

Quote from: Robin Jangle on August 29, 2024, 05:41:54 AMTrachyandra do not have bulbs.

The plot thickens...........................

The plants delivered here were too small to be able to tell if they had scales as a bulb should have - maybe 5-6mm diameter and 15+mm deep/long/tall.

I am familiar with several species of Tulbaghia, which would presumably be very similar to your description of Trachyandra. The two genera here are very different in terms of underground parts.

thanks

Tulbaghia also have a bulb - just not as bulbous as others!
Trachyandra have a somewhat woody base with thick mostly yellow roots that emerge from around the lowermost portion. They dessicate very easily. 
The most similar would be Bulbinella with Bulbine and Kniphofia also similar.
By the sounds of your description it is most likely not a Trachyandra but a juvenile Albuca.

I would have to check the labels to come up with a species, but only one (probably simmleri) of the 8 species of Tulbaghia here has anything that anyone would call a bulb based on casual observation

Some Tulbaghia have a short rhizome. But that's not the point.
Trachyandra does not have a bulb. That's the point.

As above, I do not know what the storage organ of the plant labelled Trachyandra here, is. Given its shape, perhaps it is not a bulb at all.