Another Erythronium ID
Rodger Whitlock (Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:37:14 PDT)

On 10 Apr 2013, at 13:25, Gene Mirro wept copious tears, alas, that his
erythoniums are showing signs of moral degeneracy.

The white one resembles E. californicum 'White Beauty', but its leaves have
dark mottling like E. oregonum. 'White Beauty' - at least what I have under
that name - has silver-mottled leaves like some of the leaves in your photo
backgrounds. The tepal tips are quite rounded in 'White Beauty', whereas wild
E. californicum has the usual Pacific coast pointed tepals. Yours impress me as
being intermediate.

Another point in favor of this erythronium being a bastard child of 'White
Beauty' is that it appears to be multiplying at the root. 'White Beauty' is
well known for its vegetative multiplicativeness, unlike the wild forms of the
west coast erythronia, which generally conform to the pattern one seed - one
bulb - one plant, and do not multiply vegetatively. Lord only knows how many
hours I've spent looking for clump-forming wild forms of Ee. revolutum and
oregonum. Without success!

I'd say it's a hybrid with 'White Beauty' as one parent.

The pink one looks sort of hybridish too. Not only the pale color, but the very
wide spreading flower are suspicious. Around here (southern Vancouver Island),
E. revolutum is smaller in all its parts than the other common species, E.
revolutum. There's really no telling what its parentage might be.

Just like the Pacific Coast irises, so the erythronium species of the region
are, afaik, all interfertile, and when grown in close proximity in a garden,
will hybridize freely. I suggest you assess these plants strictly on their
merits as garden plants without reference to what species they may represent.
If you like them, then keep them; if not, then follow Paige's advice and eat
them for dinner.

If you really like your erythronia, bastards though they may be, contemplate
the glory of propagating them commercially under the cultivar name 'Mirro',
perhaps 'Mirro White' and 'Mirro Pink'. You will have endless amusement when
people wonder why there is an erythronium cultivar apparently named after a
manufacturer of aluminum kitchenware. There will also be amusing confusions
with the name of the artist Miro.
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate