PBS Forum

I have germinated C. acaulis twice.  

The first time only one came up, but there were only two viable seeds in the packet from the seed ex.  That time I planted and place the pot outside on 6 March in zone 4 where temps fluctuated from -10°C to 24°C in May.  It sprouted on 10 May.

The second time I started them inside under lights at about 21°C.  10 out of 12 seeds germinated in 7-10 days.  They were exposed to light as there was only a thin layer of grit covering them.

A Sinningia pusilla seedling.  I snipped of the first flower bud, and now it is ready to produce...

Certainly helps narrow the possibilities, but others have purple-blue anthers, too, lie rivularis.  But I don't know enough to even have an educated guess for the ID.  You very well could be right.

Thanks for that, Rimmer.  I also got the "S. leopoldii" seed from that BX 481.  Fairly new to gesneriads, I might never have have known until it bloomed!

I love it when there are multiple pics of a species, and you can really see what it look like in its entirety.

Thanks, Mark.  The Link to your lab test brings a question/comment:  correct me if I am wrong, but with nutrients like iron, copper and manganese where your test shows low presence, wouldn't the high pH effect an even lower availability?  Wondering if you may have unknowingly experienced any deficiencies, or perhaps the high pH doesn't bring the deficiency low enough to show symptoms.

Jan, maybe if you can get a hold of Viola beckwithii seed, purported to need smoke.

Sinningia concinna
  It's been  blooming since mid December. 

14 November 2022
 

27 December 2022
 

2 February 2023

These all are incredibly stunning photographs!
The Pulsatilla, not to shabby, either.

Makes me think of this one.  From SRGC seed labeled Pulsatilla halleri ssp. rhodopaea
 

I am looking at the really nice compactness of growth in your K1-F2-3 seedling.  A nice achievement from the two grandparents.  We always hope for the best when we hybridize, but rarely get everything we want.  Weird things happen especially when parents' genetics are fully compatible.  As you know, trying to breed for specifics isn't easy when you don't have at least fifty plus seedlings to grow on and continue with.  I think so far, you're doing great!

It certainly is a different-blooming one.  Have you tried crossing it both ways - as a pod and pollen parent?  What are you crossing it with?  Maybe you are producing nonviable seed.... they are so tiny, how could you ever tell?

Great plants and pics!

You're right, it is nice to have the plant names under the individual photos in the file name, but the important thing is that they are in the the text of a message so they are searchable on the forum.  You did good.

Agreed.  And the special curling and long dark center color of the tepals in lijiangense are very fetching features.

The Oriental Charm group is incredibly cute.
How do you mean: "not stable"?

I continue to ask Lilium experts how do you know that a species is self-pollinating or is freely apomictic?
Haven't found anyone with an answer yet.  Apparently, no one seems to care and there has been no scientific testing that I can find. 

That said, L. formosanum is generally spoken of as self-fertile and L. regale as freely apomictic.  I did find one instance of a report from the US Fish & Wildlife Service that L. occidentale is self-fertile.  Although the writer does realize this is a rare occurrence in the genus, I am not sure if the report is credible as it is mentioned only in passing.  There are also instances for several other Lilium spp. where apomixis has been documented, but the impetus is not well understood and it can't be predicted, as far as I know.  After L. formosanum and L. regale, L. pumilum and L. martagon have the next highest probability, but there is a huge gap between the two pairs of Lilium spp.

For L. candidum, it seems to be clone specific.

And yes, I have recently read about the apomictic (or self-fertile) possibility of L. wardii.  Although, don't get your hopes up too much:  fat Lilium pods void of viable seed is not uncommon, especially if they are hybrids.

I keep a running list of this characteristic on a spread sheet, and I would be interested to know your results with wardii, if you could keep us updated.