Included in the new BX are seeds of Fritillaria striata, a species endemic to a small area in southern California. I wanted to make clear that this seed was collected ethically, under permit, by a staff member of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, a large segment of the Tejon Ranch in the hills at the southern end of the Central Valley. They are aware that I'm distributing some of the seed through PBS and other exchanges. I had supported TRC and asked, diffidently, for "a little" seed of this species. Two years later, early this summer, a large packet arrived, with a note that "tens of thousands" of plants had flowered after the rainy winter. If you get this seed and would like to express your thanks, you can visit http://www.tejonconservancy.org/ to learn about this preserve and perhaps send a donation. It's a good website. F. striata is a beautiful flower, somewhat resembling a miniature Madonna lily. The pendant white bells are variously marked with gray to pink dotted lines, and very unusual in the genus, it has a sweet fragrance. I have grown it for many years, mostly in a cold frame where winter temperatures regularly reached 20 degrees F. It leafs out early so must be protected from rain here; the foliage would probably freeze if wet. I use a very gritty soil. In nature it grows among grasses that overtop it after the frit flowers and sets seed. Also, protect it from predators such as slugs and cutworms. Most California Fritillaria species are easy to grow from seed, with patience. Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…