Veld & Flora
Mary Sue Ittner (Sat, 24 May 2003 21:28:29 PDT)

Dear All,

I just received my March 2003 Veld & Flora and found three interesting
articles in it.

First there was an article by Graham Duncan on Polyxena. So now with the
article in the Alpine Garden journal that Robin told me about, the article
in the IBSA journal, and the recent discussion on the AB images list I
should now have most of my questions answered. There is a very interesting
picture of Polyxena corymbosa that from a distance reminds me of
Leucocoryne or Triteleia. Maybe one day mine will bloom and I hope it looks
like that. Paul Tyerman will be happy that the picture of Polyxena
longituba doesn't make it look very thrilling. I still like mine and will
be sending seeds to the BX soon. The article says you need to hand
pollinate P. corymbosa if you want to get it to set seed so maybe that is
why that one doesn't appear on seed lists so often.

Second there is an article by Jim Holmes on Oxalis with some pretty
pictures. Besides mentioning some of the species I am hooked on there was
an interesting bit about Oxalis pollination and seed. We have often talked
about how they don't set seed and I have thought mine looked like they were
going to and then I couldn't see the seed later. What he says is that when
fertilization has occurred the ovary is placed down at the base of the
plant away from animals and then when mature it rises up and splits
violently catapulting the seeds a meter or more away. He further stated
that the seeds of those that flower in early winter are so short-lived that
within minutes of landing on the ground their cotyledons have unfolded. The
ones that bloom later have seed that is more long lived as their seeds
would be produced when no moisture would be available.

Also during the heat of summer many species start to sprout and reach the
surface to take advantage of even the slightest bit of moisture. The young
plant in bud form on the surface produces feeding roots to take advantage
of even the slightest moisture. So the plant is not counting on roots from
the bulbs.

The last article that I found interesting was on Droseras. Some of the
South African ones are geophytes and very beautiful. Anyone on this list
try to grow them? I ordered some seed from Silverhill. Rachel said that
people in South Africa grow them like Romuleas or Geissorhizas.

Mary Sue