David Ehrlich wrote: "Apologies to Jim McKenney. When talking to blockheads like me..." Sorry, David, I have to disagree with you. You're no blockhead in my book; the blockheads are the ones who never get it right because they never question what they think they know. No need to apologize: I obviously don't know any more than you do; and thanks for your patience as you guided us through this. I can still remember when I used to refer to the "stems" of colchicum and crocus flowers. And I still don't know what, technically, to call the leafy stems of Neomarica. They look like leaves superficially, but they can't simply be leaves if they sprout an inflorescence. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7 My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/