Mark Brown wrote, >Galanthus caucasicus is now Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus. The >north eastern populations of G. alpinus are now considered to be G. >koenenianus. This solves the riddle for me when visiting this >population a few years ago. I was following the discussion in "The Genus Galanthus" by Aaron P. Davis (Timber Press, 1999). I didn't know there had been a revision since that publication, sorry. On p. 146 of that book, Davis notes "the larger forms of G. elwesii (often sold as G. caucasicus), which make very good garden plants." Davis reports the publication of G. elwesii Hook. f. var. monostictus by P. D. Sell and F. Murrell in 1996. It appears from his abbreviated list that the name G. caucasicus was applied to garden plants of G. elwesii in Stern's classic "Snowdrops and Snowflakes." Davis's discussion of his placement of G. caucasicus (Baker) Grossh. [non Stern] appears on pp. 116-117. It is complex, but it explains just how he decided that "The name Galanthus alpinus should now be used to represent the glaucous-leaved snowdrop of the Caucasus." Mark, could you please give us the citation for the taxonomy you mentioned? Thanks! Incidentally, the inquiry to the website that started this discussion was from someone who wants to extract a reportedly medicinal compound from Galanthus, not from a gardener. Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA