Crinum Pt Claire, and pollen question
J.E. Shields (Sun, 18 Jan 2004 10:01:06 PST)

Hi Joe, Ken, and all,

In hybridizing Crinum, it seems that most crosses are infertile. When you
get a primary cross (i.e., interspecific, between two pure species parents)
you should test the pollen for fertility by a backcross on the more
tolerant of the two parents. If bulbispermum is one of the parents, test
the pollen on bulbispermum. One problem with putting exogenous pollen on
C. moorei is the tendency of moorei to produce parthenogenic (i.e.,
asexual) seeds. If you pollinate moorei and get big seeds, they are almost
certain to be parthenogenic. If there are also seeds in the moorei fruit
that are no bigger than a garden pea, try growing them on; they might be
true hybrids (from sexual fertilization).

In any case, a pollination attempt that fails does not unequivocally prove
that the pollen is infertile. Germinate some on a microscope slide and
then examine under the 'scope. If some of the pollen grains produce tubes,
it might be fertile on the right parent.

WHITE QUEEN is a cross from C. macowanii. Macowanii pollen actually sets
seeds on 'White Queen.' Not many germinated, but I have one or two small
seedlings from ['White Queen' x macowanii] growing.

Ken,

When testing or breeding for hardiness, be sure to try accessions of C.
macowanii from many different locations in southern Africa. It has a very
wide range, and some forms of it are very likely to show considerably more
cold tolerance than others.

Jim Shields
in central Indiana (USA)

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