VIRESCENS - Green Galanthus

[Hagen Engelmann]

Now a question to all of you.
To evaluate my own VIRESCENT seedlings, we (Matt and Hagen) created a table to give each selection  a score. But then we tested it on other cultivars and thought we ask for your comments. Our idea is for only the best VIRESCENS with the highest score will get names in the future.
Please tell me what could be improved  …

[johnw]

Please tell me what could be improved  …

disease resistance
        &
pest resistance


johnw

[Hagen Engelmann]

disease resistance
        &
pest resistance
johnw

not easy to realise ....but a good thought

[Mariette]

The shape of the flower is vital, well-formed, rounded teps being desirable.

[Alan_b]

When you consider the number of scapes you should consider non-integer values.  Some snowdrops have a high ratio of non flowering bulbs so a large number of leaves per flower.  If on average only every second bulb produces a scape then the number of scapes would be 0.5.  The best snowdrops have a high ratio of flowers to leaves whilst for poorer snowdrops the ratio is lower.  For example, much as I like the flowers of 'Blewbury Tart' I would guess I get about one flower per 10 leaves so the average number of scapes would be 0.2.  You should perhaps count flowers instead of scapes anyway, to account for the possibility of multiple flowers per scape.   

[freddyvl]

When we talk about virescent snowdrops it’s important – if not necessary – that everybody has the same idea of what a virescent snowdrop is. Ask people  give a definition of a virescent snowdrop and you got a silence, a eeuh or/and different descriptions. So the first mission, we think, is to define exactly a virescent snowdrop. We ourselves for instance define a virescent snowdrop until now as a snowdrop with completely green inners and with green on his outers. Of course also here is a possible discussion with regard to ‘completely’ and ‘green’ for instance. An indistinctness which might be solved in the new edition(s) of ‘Snowdrops’, Matt we rely on you (as always)!
Pictures: Unnamed 'Virescents' !

[Alan_b]

If it comes down to it, we don't really have good terminology for describing many aspects of the green markings on snowdrops.  Hagen mentioned recently that he identifies three different types of green.  Perhaps if he is collaborating with Matt Bishop they can work together on a good English version of these descriptive terms as Hagen was loath to attempt this alone.

[Matt Bishop]

 Thanks, Freddy. Its an interesting point because although 'virescent' simply means shaded green, I've taken the features of the cultivar 'Virescens' as the basis for discussion about virescent snowdrops and its worth recalling them here: Outer segments shaded green from the base (along the veins), the shading extending towards the apex; marking on inner segments evenly green except the margin. Until very recently there was an almost perfect association with the above markings and segment types across all species and hybrids but some of Hagen's selections have forced a reassessment of just what constitutes and true virescent snowdrops (as opposed to a part-virescent one) and essentially the definition I'm now using is governed by that solid inner segment marking. In modern clones it seems sensible to include those clones where the inner marking fades just before the ovary as well as other rarer exceptions where it draws to a bluntish point (like a gothic church window) towards the base (eg in the clone 'Gruner Pendelkugel') but is still solidly green. I;m now also allowing for a certain amount of variation in the outer segment marks which in this type, normally run from the base, though not exclusively. So in a slightly long-winded way, this is how virescent snowdrops seem to be best circumscribed.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Alan, an English tongue will find the better words to explain ...

[Alan_b]

Yes, Hagen, I do sympathise.  It's just that I am eager to understand the knowledge you have to impart and I think the whole snowdrop community would benefit from some better vocabulary to describe the details of snowdrop flowers. 

[steve owen]

Our idea is for only the best VIRESCENS with the highest score will get names in the future.

Only two problems with that;
a) un-police-able
b) the horse is galloping away from the stable.