In 'Llilies', McRae, says "for maximum bulblet formation, the scales must be broken off cleanly right at the basal plate" which leaves room for the conventional idea about some basal plate and also no basal plate. -- David Pilling email: david@pilling.demon.co.uk web: http://www.davidpilling.net/ post: David Pilling P.O. Box 22 Thornton Cleveleys Blackpool. FY5 1LR UK fax: +44(0)870-0520-941