January 2024

[Carlos]

Sternbergia candida



Asphodelus acaulis. I've been told that it can be self fertile, I hope this selfing is successful.

⁹

Allium reconditum, a rather mysterious and unknown species from Andalusia. I am trying to ascertain if is really the same as Allium chrysonemum, another little known plant from further east. One of the few Allium with hairy leaves in Spain, I think that it is the only one if you don't consider Allium chamaemoly as 'hairy'.

[Arnold]

Gladiolus uysiae sweetly scented

[Too Many Plants!]

Arnold...Love your Ferraria, and Gladiolus Uysiae! And your G. Venustus, a species which I planted years ago never to be seen again,
 and haven't since had an opportunity to acquire again.

[Arnold]

Thanks, TMP.

they grow in a cool New Jersey greenhouse with many other SA bulbs.  Sleep during the summer in a cool basement.

[Martin Bohnet]

As I mentioned before, January isn't my most floriferous time, but we're slowly moving forward again, as we're about a week out of the icy cellar before.

Daily travelling from the shelter to the sunny front door stairs are Whiteheadia bifolia

- or Massonia bifolia

as Kew classifies it currently - the battle between lumpers and splitters around Masonia isn't over, as Desertia (unaccepted) and Namophila (accepted) float around... Another traveller is Pterostylis truncata (the epithet with a grain of salt as I'm not 100% sure yet - confirmation or other opinions welcome). I adore these little aliens - put them in any science fiction set and everyone will instantly believe they are not from this planet.

The outside world slowly wakes up and gives more color - Cyclamen coum

obviously has survived the slug attack in December and the freezing period a week ago, and Crocus antalyensioides

is among the first greetings in yellow. Opening up still is hard as the sun only barely touches the ground - low angle and close buildings are always a problem in winter, but things change fast now. A few Snowdrops are out, cheap ones and expensives alike, but need a day of warmth or two more until reaching a presentable state.

[Arnold]

 Additional Gladiolus uysiae.

One photo showing the papillae on the edge of the stigma.

[Arnold]

Finally some sunlight.

Better definition.



Ferraria divaricata