Yellow Nothoscordum/Ipheion
totototo@telus.net (Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:17:03 PDT)

On 13 Apr 07, at 20:02, Mary Sue Ittner wrote:

[lament about the many names for Ipheion/Beauverdia/Tristagma/
Nothoscordum sellowianum/-a/bivalve/etc.]

It's like the mess with Spanish Narcissus (esp. the bulbocodium
clan), but at the generic level rather than the specific.

It's clear that the botany of these South American bulbs is in a
state of total disarray. Until somebody somewhere can devote
considerable resources to their investigation, we're doomed to amuse
ourselves with the plethora of available names. I'm not holding my
breath for a resolution of this mess anytime very soon.

And even with adequate resources, there may be no firm conclusion
possible. The Spanish Narcissus are a problem because the genus is
clearly in a state of active evolution on the Iberian Peninsula and
hasn't settled down to a fixed number of clearly distinguishable
species. I have wondered if something similar is happening in
Argentina with the Ipheion/Tristagma/Nothoscordum complex.

Sigh.

Anyone need a big box of Kleenex to soak up their tears over this
mess?

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate

on beautiful Vancouver Island