Schizostylis/Hesperantha a confused genus
akennedy@cix.co.uk (Sun, 16 Feb 2003 03:11:00 PST)

Hello All,
I live in SW Scotland. If you look at any map of Scotland and go as far
South and West as you can that's about right. The climate is mild in this
area as we get the benefits of the tail end of the Gulf Stream as it comes
up through the Irish Sea. Temperatures can occasionally go down to minus
6 oC and high in summer would be around 25 oC, the mean average then being
about 21 oC. From October through to the end of February the year we get
heavy rainfall and indeed throughout the year the generally damp moist
climate, with an average of around 2000mm of rain p.a. promotes healthy
growth, particularly for plants from areas like Chile and New Zealand. In
Scotland overall the average hours of sun per year total around 1400
whereas in Southern England the figure would be nearer 1700. I would hate
potential visitors to think we live in some sort of Stygian gloom and we
often get really warm sunny weather in May and June and August in
particular. So what am I doing talking about Shizostylis/Hesperantha ?
I need to clarify one point before going any further. In the UK
Hesperantha and Schizostylis are still considered separately from a
horticultural point of view. I am well aware of the reduction of
Schizostylis into Hesperantha by messrs Goldblatt and Manning and have no
problem with this but at the moment our UK horticultural bodies have
accepted their findings but not yet implemented the name change as they
believe it may confuse our gardeners. That ruling may change before long
and I hope it does but it may explain why I concentrate on Schizostylis
coccinea or, as most in N. America and elsewhere would call it,
Hesperantha coccinea.
About 5 years ago I was given about a dozen different examples of
Schizostylis coccinea that were being uprooted and needing a new home. I
soon realised that they thrived with me and after seeing how they flowered
profusely in November and December I was hooked. It may be cheaper than
golf but it can be just as frustrating a hobby! I collected more and more
of the named varieties. There are currently 30 in the UK Plantfinder. In
2002 I applied for, and after a lot of on-site inspections and record
preparation was awarded, full status for a National Collection of
Schizostylis under the auspices of the National Council for the
Conservation of Plants and Gardens, (NCCPG)

Mary Sue advises me that not everyone may be familiar with NCCPG so please
bear with me whilst I give a short resume. It is an independent national
organisation set up 25 years ago with the aim of conserving plant
diversity and recording plants in danger of extinction through dedicated
national collections across the UK, as well as gardens, albeit the latter
has become somewhat secondary in the way of things. Twenty-five years on
there are 43 Regional Groups across Britain and over 6000 members. I,
until recently, chaired my SW Scotland group and quite demanding that was
too! Some 650 National Collections are held throughout the UK and I
believe they contain around over 60,000 plant varieties, many saved from
extinction by the voluntary action of the botanical gardens, institutions,
private gardeners, etc, who look after them. I understand there are
similar if maybe less comprehensive bodies elsewhere across the globe but
NCCPG is probably unique in that it embraces such wide support across the
UK.

Over the past few months I have been considering the problems associated
with differentiating between the various named Schizostylis,and I shall
concentrate on what we call Schizostylis from now on rather than
Hesperantha. I now have around 40 in the Collection and am aware there
are still others out there. (A full list of what I hold is listed at the
end of this piece.) Gradually I and another colleague who holds a similar
collection in the South of England have come to the same conclusion. It
is virtually impossible to separately identify some of the named cultivars
in circulation. Whether one uses traditional horticultural methods of
comparison such as colour, flower heads per stalk, length of perianth,
etc, the differences are so minutely finite that one can understand why
many of the examples in circulation are either misnamed or renamed! Does
it matter? Well if you are responsible for the integrity of a National
Collection it does. Quite apart from the fact that there are
unfortunately just a few unscrupulous, or perhaps ill informed traders,
who will take advantage of confusion to introduce existing varieties under
a new and much promoted name.

But how to sort the problem out? By chance, (another story perhaps) I
came across an eminent scientific researcher in a UK University who was
well qualified in DNA analysis on plant material and had recently
developed a very interesting commercial application in this field that
received much media attention.
She has now agreed to carry out DNA analysis on Schizostylis material
supplied by me to see if there is a way of determining differences between
the various cultivars. I know nothing about DNA analysis but she believes
it may be possible and initial work has already started on this long-term
project. It will cost quite a lot of money and time and effort, all
problems there to be overcome and I hope to be able to apply for grant
funding over the months ahead.
My role as the simple layman, and I have little technical expertise to
offer except some 25 years hands on gardening experience, is to try and
establish just how many varieties, sports, cultivars, whatever we may call
them, of Schizostylis exist and try and gather as many as I can for the
tests, as well as for the National Collection itself. A task that
gradually convinces me that championship golf might well indeed have been
a much simpler challenge! Already, through the PBS I have learned of more
new ones and acquired 2 new examples as well. I might even want to
extend into collecting Hesperantha in time and it is possible I believe
that cross cultivation might bring about new colour sports but that is a
long way off in the calendar. All in all I have so far had some
interesting contacts for someone who was kindly permitted to join you all
only a month ago. Thanks Cathy and Mary Sue!

I now list the examples held by me at present and provide some info on
names I have heard of but have not yet tracked down. The numbers are
my accession numbers in the Collection

Schizostylis coccinea held in the National Collection.

02010 S. c.Jennifer
02011 S. c.Oregon Sunset
02012 S.c.Hint of Pink
02013 S.c. Salmon Charm
02014 S.c. Mrs. Hegarty
02015 S.c.Zeal Salmon
02016 S.c.Sunrise
02017 S.c. Tambara
02018 S.c. Hilary Gould
02019 S.c.Professor Barnard
02020 S.c.November Cheer
02021 S.c. Viscountess Byng
02022 S.c. Elburton Glow
02023 S.c. Red Dragon (A particularly sturdy and brilliant red form)

02024 S.c. Hannah Gould
02025 S.c.Hannah Gubbay
02026 S.c. Maidens Blush
02027 S.c. Mollie Gould
02028 S.c. Seedling A
02029S.c.Snow Maiden
02030 S.c. Jack Frost
02031 S.c. Silver Pink
02032 S.c.late flowering
02033 S.c.Anne
02034 S.c. Cindy Towe
02035 S.c. Caroline
02036 S.c. J&L 244

Ordered and a/w delivery, S.C Vera, S.c Big Moma, S.c. Pink Princess, S.c.
Christine de vere, S.c. Major Superba

In addition it is understood the following exist but have not yet been
traced as at 11 Feb,03 : -

The Bride, Rosalie, Rosea, November Charm, Mary Barnado, Pink
Ice, Zeal Blush, Rose Glow, Edward E Bowles, Salome, Pink Marg and
Strawberry. Crimson Flag is often mentioned but I believe this is simply
another common general name for the genus.

If anyone can provide new names and if possible a description and a
supplier that indeed would be very much appreciated. I am also interested
in hearing about your experiences in growing these colourful plants. They
are often ignored for flower arranging but have lots of potential in that
field.
I apologise for such a lengthy piece but can only say you are lucky you
are all bulb enthusiasts as if you had got me going on my real penchant
for collecting tulip tree cultivars and cercis cultivars you would be
sitting at your screens a lot longer! Thanks for bearing with me, Alan
Kennedy