Watsonia meriana bulbilifera

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Tue, 12 Aug 2003 07:32:33 PDT
Dear All,

Last week we were able to drive by one of the weedy public patches of 
Watsonia that I mentioned earlier. We didn't get a chance to stop and take 
a picture until we were on our way home and then it was late in the day and 
not everything is in focus. But you can see the potential problem with this 
species when you look at all those bulbils on one stalk! Think of them all 
falling off and extending in all directions. They can root right on top of 
the soil. I was paying attention as we drove and there are some really bad 
patches next to the highway and other places where they are only a few 
plants now, but will be hundreds in years to come. These pictures were 
taken right along Highway One next to Salt Point State Park. I added the 
text below and pictures to the wiki:

Watsonia meriana ssp. bulbilifera produces bubils in the leaf axis and in 
the right climate can become a big pest as it has in coastal northern 
California. These two photos by Bob Rutemoeller although not very clear 
show the large number of bubils and the drying foliage which makes an ugly 
and ever extending display along Highway One in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…

Roy, if your plants did not produce these bubils maybe what you have is not 
the problem plant.

Mary Sue 


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