Sprekelia howardii
320083817243-0001@t-online.de (Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:19:34 PDT)

Dear Doug,

It is frustrating to have only one bulb that does not offset or set seed. For
stimulating seed set in normally self sterile plants I read an interesting
article that said that some plants can be stimulated to accept their own pollen
if the stigma is stimulated otherwise, in this case with cement powder. I have
never tried this but apparently it works. Another method mentioned is to use
pollen from another related plant AND the own pollen at the same time. Some of
the seedlings will then of course be of hybrid origin but some may be true
species self pollinations. The foreign pollen stimulates the stigma and "by
error" it then also accepts the own pollen. It is best to use a plant as
pollinator that is as distinctly different from your plant as possible in order
to be able to recognise the hybrid offspring as soon as possible from the
species one. It is quite theoretical and I have never tried this myself but the
source was reliable but concerning Catus hybridisation. Nothing can be lost
this way, though.
To force a bulb to make offsets it needs to destroy the growing centre. Would
you be happy to do this? I would not with my one and only bulb. Perhaps cut it
into two halves with a sharp knife and grow both parts on.... but this may be
too risky, too.
Is there nobody with another bulb/another clone of the same species that can
send you pollen? Or borrow you the bulb for a season and share the seed? I am
sorry, I cannot, I have a good form of S.formosissima but not the new species.

greetings from Germany, Uli