Which Camassia Is This?

Jane McGary via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Thu, 21 May 2020 11:18:24 PDT
The way you distinguish Camassia cusickii from C. leichtlinii is to 
observe the withered flowers. In cusickii the tepals wither separately 
to the base, and in leichtlinii the tepals twist around and remain kuind 
of clasping the ovary. Hitchcock & Cronquist's Flora of Oregon also 
remarks that the bulbs of C. cusickii are "ill-smelling, very 
mucilaginous and foul-tasting," while those of C. leichtlinii are 
relatively inoffensive. C. quamash was the one most used for food.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 5/21/2020 10:43 AM, Judy Glattstein via pbs wrote:
> Don't remember when or where I obtained this camassia but it was a 
> while ago. In my garden notes I seem to refer to it as Camassia 
> cusickii and also as C. leichtlinii 'Alba' Anyone have an opinion? TIA
>
> Judy in beautifully sunny New Jersey where there was just a night in 
> the high 30s Fahrenheit. In middling late May! And all the cannas 
> nicely tucked away in the garage are demanding to be planted. Why oh 
> why did I save everything - CC musaefolia, flaccida Purpurea, 
> Tropicana and Pretoria (unless it is actually Bengal Tiger) that I dug 
> last fall? Multiple storage crates, now needing to fill multiple pots. 
> Perhaps I shall keep a machete by the front door . . .
>
>
>
>
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