Crinum Brisbanicum showing its stunning iridescence in the morning sun...... I am about to add this species to the wiki, but i haven't had a chance to work it out properly yet.... This is three plants from my collection of C. Brisbanicums, the species has a marked degree of growth & petal variation, the top link is my favorite & is quite different to the one i showed last season. which is the bottom link. It has a more evenly shaped petal with cupped edges & with far greater iridescence than all the others. They are all divinely fragrant with the usual crinum musk fragrance but with delightful hints of jasmine. It is just irresistible on a gentle breeze. http://flickr.com/photos/67167299@N04/… copyright warning ! http://flickr.com/photos/67167299@N04/… This one is very similar, slightly less iridescent in general & is showing its pure white in full sun. The pollen is rarely seen after 10am because the 5mm long Australian native sting-less bees harvest all pollen making it difficult to pollinate sometimes, they completely strip every last grain. This one has a consistently larger slightly back turned petal with little or no cupping & a greater parabolic curvature to the petal edge & is almost as iridescent as the top one. http://flickr.com/photos/67167299@N04/… Seeds are recalcitrant & are unable to be stored, usually sprouting in as little as one week in warm weather, making it difficult to export. I am able to fetch extremely high prices for seed as they are extremely difficult to source & plants produce very few seeds. The species is endemic to Queensland & to the border of Northern NSW, small family groups are usually fragmented & uncommon, flower spikes average 60cm tall from the base & tower above the 2.5cm wide snake like leaves, spikes fall as seeds mature & gently place the next generation exactly 60 cm from the parent plant, ensuring movement of the small colonies by half a meter a year. Leaves usually snake along the ground for up to a meter, healthy plants can measure 2 meters in diameter or greater in perfect conditions, however depending on conditions plants can be more upright with shorter leaves. Bulbs can be 60cm deep or more in its preferred deep sandy loam soil. I have seen them growing in rock hard paddocks & on shale cliffs in shallow pockets but they do prefer alluvial flats. They are extremely drought tolerant once established. Habitat is quickly diminishing beneath housing developments, water-catchments, highways & farm paddocks for this unusual species. It is not well known even in its local environment & is rarely protected or even noticed by developers. Flowering window is short, usually December & January after good rain fall. Spikes can develop in as little as a week. I try to cross pollinate this species every year, just for fun, but it is known for its inability to be cross pollinated. I intend to continue doing all that i can to ensure the survival of this quickly diminishing species & hope my posts spark interest in its protection through personal conservation. Steven Hart Esk Queensland Australia