Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Specific Families and Genera => Amaryllidaceae => Topic started by: Alberto on August 14, 2008, 02:36:18 PM

Title: Proiphys
Post by: Alberto on August 14, 2008, 02:36:18 PM
Hi all, I want to share with you these two species of maybe uncommon bulbs. Proiphys (Syn. Eurycles) is in the Amaryllidaceae family (now Alliaceae) and is a genus of 4-6 species ranging from South East Asia to Australia. They have a perticular leaf: it is petioled, only a few other species in the whole family have this feature! The petiole is long and channelled, the blade is Hosta-like. Interesting is that seeds sometimes germinates still attached. Here are two species I grow, P. cunninghamii (Brisbane lily) and P. amboinensis (Cardwell lily). The former is deciduous and can stay at about 7-10°C dry in winter rest. The latter is evergreen (even if you can treat as deciduous, but it is better to grow in warm and moist place all year around). Of course they are not for English gardens, but they deserve marvellously for pot culture.
Maybe any member from Australia grow other species or know where to find them, P. alba, P. infundibularis? Thank you.
Alberto
Italy
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Thomas Huber on August 14, 2008, 03:20:43 PM
A great plant, Alberto!
First photo looks like Colchicum  8)
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2008, 03:21:43 PM
This is certainly uncommon to me, Alberto! Never saw them before.... I think it is very attractive plant... a lovely new lesson for today, thank you!

Are they sweetly scented?
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on August 14, 2008, 03:23:16 PM
 ;D ;D ;D

Thomas is more and more interstet for Amaryllidaceae  :o
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: SueG on August 14, 2008, 03:23:45 PM
Really very nice leaves as well as the flowers, thanks for showing this, one to look out for I think.
Sue
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2008, 03:24:26 PM
;D ;D ;D

Thomas is more and more interstet for Amaryllidaceae  :o

Yes Hans, I was just thinking that same thing!! ;D ;)
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Thomas Huber on August 14, 2008, 03:26:00 PM
Although I'm married I turn my head to other girls from time to time  ;D 8) :-*
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Alberto on August 14, 2008, 03:31:00 PM
Thomas: I am without words! :o ??? ;D

Maggi: yes they are both sweetly scented.

 Alberto
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: David Nicholson on August 14, 2008, 07:18:27 PM
Although I'm married I turn my head to other girls from time to time  ;D 8) :-*

Thomas, there is an old saying here- when you stop looking it's time to screw the lid down! The lid, being the coffin lid ;D
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: David Nicholson on August 14, 2008, 07:19:49 PM
Alberto you certainly grow some lovely plants. I have learned such a lot from three threads you have introduced today.
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Alberto on August 14, 2008, 07:43:36 PM
Thank you David. It is really frustrating to know there are a lot of plants one could grow and do not know where to find them!
I hope anyone can help in introducing into cultivation other unusual bulbs!
Alberto
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Lesley Cox on August 14, 2008, 10:32:50 PM
Truly beautiful indeed. I like the hosta-like leaves as well. :)
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Paul T on August 15, 2008, 09:51:49 AM
Good to see some Aussie bulbs here.  ;D  I theoretically grow both species you have pictured above, but I have flowered neither as yet.  Both were received as seeds, so they are still maturing.  I do know of someone up in the Atherton Tablelands in far North Queensland who grows these up in the mountains where they get to -10'C and they grow just fine.  I had thought they were something that needed winter protection, but maybe it is the case that some colonies will take more cold than others.  The leaves are very hosta-like as Lesley mentioned, and similarly are adored by snails.  ::)

Unfortunately I can't help you with sources for the other two species.  I would like to grow them myself as well, but perhaps I should get the two species I already have flowering first so that I know I have them growing right.  ;)

This genus is unusual in that it produces berries after flowering which, by the time the berry is ripe, have actually had the seed germinate inside the berry and form a complete bulb.  I was originally sent ripe red berries which when the surface was peeled off contained perfect little green bulbs inside, complete with a shoot point and basal plate for root development.  You could also see the remains of what I assume was originally the true seed.  I am assuming that this "seed" remains plugged into the food supply in the plant and this allows it to grow a bulb that fills the inside of the berry.  I am not sure I am explaining this clearly, but I found it very unusual.  Never seen anything else quite like it.  Just a little bit of trivia for you, I guess.
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Maggi Young on October 10, 2008, 11:51:09 AM
Note: please see a post and photo of a Proiphys, here:Re: Australian Native Plants at the ANBG
« Reply #87 on: October 09, 2008, 09:35:40 AM »

 http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2357.msg58188#msg58188
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on January 16, 2009, 01:38:38 PM
Hi ,

for all who are interestet to see seeds of this plants is here a pic :

[attach=1]

seeds of Proiphys cunninghamii
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: SueG on January 16, 2009, 01:40:11 PM
Is this variation in seed size usual Hans?
Sue
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on January 16, 2009, 01:56:34 PM
Sue :

Sorry but I dont know !
I have never seen before seeds of Proiphys :o

Hans
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on January 16, 2009, 05:40:51 PM
..... :-[..... :-\ .....and now some hours later :

[attach=1]

the clean seeds  :o

[attach=2]

...and here all the skin and more  ::)
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Maggi Young on January 16, 2009, 05:58:21 PM
14 seeds from the eight fruits, Hans?
Was it very difficult to get the seeds clean?
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on January 16, 2009, 07:25:30 PM
Maggi :

now after a bath in 1% H2/O2 are it 12 seeds ( the other sink not on the ground )

To your question :
No -it was not difficould for me ....I have a lot of patience  ;)

Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Renate Brinkers on January 16, 2009, 09:03:47 PM
Hi Paul,

great pictures - I saw this plants as I have been in Australia last year but at this time they only had leafes.
You should make a big, big packet with Proiphys for all of us *smile*
And please add some Crinum pedunculatum...

Thanks Maggi, for finding the pictures.

Hi Hans,
I cross my fingers!

Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Renate Brinkers on January 16, 2009, 09:17:46 PM
Hi Alberto,

love the pictures. Thanks for telling how to treat them. Do you know how big the bulbs can grow?

Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Paul T on January 27, 2009, 01:45:38 AM
The fascinating thing about these is that those aren't actually seeds.... if you look closely at them they are all small bulbs, formed within the fruit, complete with tip and basal plate etc.  On some I have had in the past (I've never flowered it myself, but have been given seed) you could see the tiny remains of the actual "seed" which was still attached to the developed bulb.  I've always wondered how quarantine would deal with something like this, as there technically never is a seed that could be sent, because by the time it is ripe the fruit actually already contains a miniature bulb.  Very different.

Aren't plants just fascinating!!??  :o ;D
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Lesley Cox on January 27, 2009, 02:22:54 AM
Nerines do this too. If you put a head of developing seeds into a brown paper bag and forget about them for two or three weeks then have a look, you have a bag of tiny bulbs.
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on April 10, 2009, 05:20:54 PM
Hi all ,

here a update from today ( 10.April )....
the seeds where sown on 16.Jan. .....
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Renate Brinkers on April 10, 2009, 09:35:37 PM
Hans,
good to see that you are succesful with Proiphys.
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Alberto on July 05, 2009, 03:36:22 PM
Ripening pods of P. cunninghamii hand pollinated.
I'll let you know how many seeds...

Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Hans J on July 05, 2009, 03:41:20 PM
Alberto :

congratulation !
...are they self fertil ?
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Alberto on July 05, 2009, 03:43:19 PM
Hans, I crossed the pollen from two different bulbs. Last year I didn't pollinated them but I had no one seed! This year I hope to have seeds!

Alberto

Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Paul T on July 06, 2009, 12:56:39 AM
Congratulations, Alberto. 8)
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Banksia_Man on February 14, 2011, 06:57:06 PM
Lovely photos Alberto,  :o

I would love to try the unusual "native Jonquil" as the Australians say.

Incidently, with the "search" inside srgc forum, when I put "proiphys" nothing was found !

I found this thread by putting "srgc, proiphys" into google.
Title: Re: Proiphys
Post by: Maggi Young on February 14, 2011, 07:12:26 PM
That trick with google is a good one and one that I use myself.

But when I just tried entering proiphys ( not "proiphys")  I got six  results  :D

and the sytem was also helpfully offering to find prophesy for me  :-X
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