G. Straffan

[apothecary]

This is what I have as 'Straffan'.  I assume it's generally ok although it looks very average to me.  Is the inner marking known to vary?  I have only one flower to go by, but one of the segments on this has a split marking unlike the other two (last pic).  Is this just natural variation?

[Martin Baxendale]

It looks okay for Straffan, although all the marks are not quite the perfect little chinese bridge-shape (or upside-down U-shape) that Straffan ought to be. I assume this is a potted bulb, like your others, in which case it may be that the bulb isn't growing quite as well as it should in the pot. That could easily be the cause of the slightly smudged markings and the broken marking. Virus would be the other possibility, so keep an eye on the leaves for yellow streaks, especially as the leaves elongate and mature in the Spring.

If it came from South Hayes as 'Straffan', I think you can safely assume it's right. Is there a clump in the wood that you can take a snap of - the flowers in the open ground might be better with more 'correct' marks.

[mark smyth]

This is what I grow as Straffan.

In N Ireland we call it strafan, In England I hear it called STRA-fan with the emphasis on the stra

[Anthony Darby]

This is what I grow as Straffan.

In N Ireland we call it strafan, In England I hear it called STRA-fan with the emphasis on the stra

Mark, strafan and STRA-fan are one and the same so we both pronounce it the same way? It's the old SONY trick again. A name that can only be pronounced one way. Aye right! Is that Sony ('o' as in 'hot'), Sony ('o' as in 'so') or Sony ('o' as in 'sonny' i.e. sunny)? In English two sylable words generally emphasise the first syllable as in fragile, hungry, voter to grab words on the front of a magazine. Longer words tend to have different rules. CA-ri-BBEAN in the UK. Ca-RI-bean in the US. AluMINium doesn't role off the tongue in the US because they emphasise the second syllable , hence alUMinum.

[mark smyth]

OK let me try again straffan with no emphasis

[mark smyth]

The Irish is Srafáin. Paddy, Ashley?

[David Nicholson]

We seem to be hovering between two 'f's and one-which is it to be??

[Anthony Darby]

I'm a musician Mark, there can never be no emphasis. That's robotic talk - exterminate, exterminate, exterminate.

[Martin Baxendale]

Kristina, Mark's photo demonstrates exactly what a perfect 'Straffan' mark should look like when the bulbs are growing strongly. The more I look at yours the more I feel it's 'Straffan' that's not growing very well and producing a rather poor mark. Can I see red-brown marks and distorted growth on one or more leaf tips in your photo? Could be disease if that's what I can see.

[Martin Baxendale]

I'm a musician Mark, there can never be no emphasis. That's robotic talk - exterminate, exterminate, exterminate.

I was going to say - I've been sitting here trying to say straffan with no stress on either syllable and it doesn't half sound odd. I thought in Ireland the stress was put on the second syllable of Straffan. At least that's what I was told.

[Maggi Young]

This is more than a little surreal... there is a discussion about how many different ways one might say the name of a plant which has dozens of different names but no differences 

[ashley]

The Irish is Srafáin. Paddy, Ashley?

Well, Strafáin would be pronounced something like stra-FOYNE (i.e. emphasis on the second syllable).

[mark smyth]

and how do you say it, Ashley?

[ashley]

and how do you say it, Ashley?

STRA-fan   

[Anthony Darby]

After all that, some wise old plantsman (or woman) will probably say you're all wrong - it's STRAWN!