Elwesii with three leaves

[Alan_b]

I have a few bulbs of Galanthus elwesii Jamie Broughton which I was given by a highly reputable source.  Each bulb of flowering size has three leaves.  A large leaf on the left enfolds a smaller leaf on the right which enfolds a still smaller leaf on the left.  'Snowdrops' states that there is a wide disparity in width between the two leaves but makes no mention of the third one.  Then today I found another group of elwesii with large flowers (differently marked to 'Jamie') and a third leaf.  The added bulb from the third leaf makes for a very imposing plant.

Does anyone know how common or uncommon it is for snowdrops, particularly elwesii to have a third leaf?  I know you often get offsets which put up a single leaf close to the main stem but with elwesii-style supervolute vernation, it is obvious that all three leaves are part of the same stem in the plants I have described.   

[Martin Baxendale]

Alan, it used to be considered unusual (to the extent that there are a number of forms of elwesii around actually named 'Three Leaves' or a variant of that - eg my parents were given one by E.B. Anderson which he called elwesii three leaves, which I still grow, and I've seen at least one other with that name being sold). But it's actually not that uncommon when you look through large quantities of imported bulbs or raise a lot from seed. I've found the ones with three leaves tend to be robust forms of elwesii or monostictus with big bulbs. It may be an indication of polyploidy.

Strangely, I've had some hybrid seedlings with three leaves where the bybridity shows as completely different forms of leaf on one bulb - e.g. two plicate leaves and one applanate leaf, which looks quite odd.

[Anthony Darby]

I have some 'Wendy's Gold' with two flowering stems per bulb this year.

[Hans J]

I grow Gal. "Three Leaves" since some years and I can confirm that the most plants have really 3 leaves 

[Hagen Engelmann]

The pic shows, that also some galanthus nivalis cultivars can develop a third leaf

[Alan_b]

Thank you everyone for your replies.  This forum is so useful to 'amateurs' like myself who have been only growing snowdrops for a few years because 'professionals' with many years of expereience are kind enough to answer questions.

Here are the three-leaved elwesii that impressed me.  They seem to dividing linearly rather than forming a clump and in the early stages of growth, before the flower emerges, the shoots are very tubular.

[mark smyth]

Anthony my Wendy's produce a second flower most years

[Brian Ellis]

They look most interesting Alan, does this happen with other varieties anyone?

[Otto Fauser]

I have grown G. elwesii v.monostictus with 3 leaves for at least 25 years in my garden here in Melbourne ,a strong grower and multiplies fast, and everyone who admires it at flowering time goes home with a few bulbs .
 It's such a joy to share good plants.

[KentGardener]

Not certain - but I think Godfrey Owen does too?

John

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony my Wendy's produce a second flower most years

Thanks Mark. Does this mean they are happy?

[Brian Ellis]

I've just been up in the small glasshouse and lo and behold, look what's happening with Fieldgate Superb.

[Martin Baxendale]

I've just been up in the small glasshouse and lo and behold, look what's happening with Fieldgate Superb.

And I'm pretty sure Fieldgate Superb is a triploid. As I said earlier, I think producing 3 leaves is often a sign of polyploidy.

[Thomas Huber]

This is what I received as Galanthus 3-leaves. It's an elwesii monostictus,
but you can see, that some leaves are plicate.

[Martin Baxendale]

This is what I received as Galanthus 3-leaves. It's an elwesii monostictus,
but you can see, that some leaves are plicate.

The folding in the middle of the leaves is quite normal for some broader-leaved Gal. elwesii and elwesii monostictus, Thomas. It's not plication. Plicate leaves fold back on themselves at the edges. That's elwesii monostictus okay.