Dear All, The items listed below have been donated by people from all over the world, to be shared. If you are interested in obtaining some of them, please email me PRIVATELY at <dells@voicenet.com>. Include "BX 81" in the subject line. Specify the NUMBERS of the items which you would like; do not specify quantities. It is a good idea to include your snail mail address too, in case I don't already have it. Availability is based on a first come, first served system. When you receive your seeds/bulbs you will find, included with them, a statement of how much money (cash or check) you should send the PBS treasurer to defray our costs for packing and first-class postage. Some of you are members of the PBS discussion forum but not members of the Pacific Bulb Society. THIS BX OFFERING IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO MEMBERS OF THE PBS. Consider joining the PBS so that you can take advantage of future offers such as this. Go to our website: <http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/> . Or contact me at dells@voicenet.com If you would like to donate seeds or bulbs/corms to the PBS, please send CLEAN, clearly labeled material to: Dell Sherk, PO Box 224, Holicong, PA, 18928, USA. Donors will receive credit on the BX for the cost of postage for their donations. PLEASE NOTE: I WILL REPLY TO YOU WITHIN 24 HRS OF MY RECEIPT OF YOUR ORDER.. IF YOU DO NOT HEAR FROM ME, TRY AGAIN !! From Tsuh Yang Chen: 1. Rhizomes of Gloxinia aff. purpurascens: "It's unfortunate that the genus Gloxinia is not better known, except as the popular name of the florist gloxinia, Sinningia speciosa (similar situation to the "amaryllis" in the genus Hippeastrum or "geraniums" in Pelargonium). The true Gloxinia are a genus in a group known as rhizomatous in the Gesneriaceae, which also includes Kohleria, Smithiantha (temple bells) and Achimenes. These gesneriads produce scaly rhizomes (somewhat resembling elongated pine cones), that can be broken up in smaller pieces so that almost each scale will produce a small plant (of course, the bigger the piece, the bigger the plant). These genera are from tropical America, occurring from Mexico to South America, and usually suffer from a dry season, hence the rhizomatous habit. Various species are quite interesting horticultural subjects, including Gloxinia sylvatica (probably the better known and more widely grown species, a common garden subject in warmer climates, sometimes known by its old name, Seemannia latifolia), G. lindeniana, G. nematanthodes, G. gymnostoma, G. racemosa, G. purpurascens, and G. perennis. Both lindeniana and perennis also produce fragrant flowers. This plant is one of my failures at growing indoors as it will not bloom even with enough light and water. It is apparently found in the region near Belem in the Brazilian Amazon. I'm told by a botanist that it differs significantly from the "true" purpurascens from Bolivia, but because he has not officially described it yet, we are calling it aff. purpurascens. The somewhat hairy leaves are light green (somewhat resembling basil in color and shape), and the flowers are predominantly red. As I said, I have not been able to bloom it indoors but I hope PBS members will have better luck growing it outdoors in warmer regions or in a greenhouse." From Arnold Trachtenberg: 2. Lilium sargentiae stem bulbils which I have harvested from a lily from Chen Yi in China. I over winter them in the refrigerator in moist potting soil or coir. The lily has thrived here and produces a good crop of stem bulbils each year. 3. Seeds of Lilium leucanthum var. centifolium from a bulb that was obtained from the Species Lily Preservation Group. 4. Offsets of Colocasia esculenta which I over winter in a cold attic in bags of just moist coir. From Jane McGary: 5. Allium bolanderi: 5", red-and-white flowers, N. California 6. Alstroemeria revoluta: Small lavender flowers; hardiness unknown. 7. Alstroemeria umbellata: Succulent glaucous foliage, large pink flowers on short stems; from deep scree in Andes foothills, fairly hardy but needs extreme drainage. 8. Asphodelus acaulis: Morocco; nearly stemless pink flowers; winter-growing. 9. Calochortus clavatus: Tall, bright yellow, rather tender. 10. Crocus oreocreticus: fall-blooming, requires dry summer 11. Dichelostemma congestum: Deep blue flowers on 50-cm stems, early summer. 12. Erythronium helenae: White, fragrant, N. California 13. Fritillaria glauca: scree inhabitant, N. California, short, yellow or brown flowers 14. Fritillaria striata: S. California, winter-growing, white, fragrant, should be grown under glass in climates with frost. 15. Fritillaria obliqua: Greece; endangered species; black-purple flowers; winter protection advised 16. Fritillaria amana (syn. F. hermonis ssp. amana): Green-and purple striped flowers, late. 17. Crocus pulchellus: fall-blooming, lavender. 18. Crocus hadriaticus f. lilacinus: fall-blooming, lavender. 19. Iris tingitana ssp. fontanesii: N. Africa, bulbous, blue flowers, rather tender. 20. Orthrosanthes chimboracensis: Tender summer-flowering irid, blue ephemeral flowers; identification tentative. 21. Paradisea lusitanica: Summer-flowering, about 80 cm tall, white. 22. Triteleia crocea: Small yellow flowers (not Bloomeria!) 23. Tulipa cretica: small, pink flowers, mountains of Crete, not very hardy. 24. Tulipa sp. Halda 1991 list #478: Tall bright red. Thank you, Tsuh Yang, Arnold, and Jane !! Best wishes, Dell --Dell Sherk, Director, Pacific BX