Polygonatum, A pictorial guide

[Lesley Cox]

What a thrill to see my little P. graminifolium on the Forum and so far from home. I sent a few rhizomes to Germany as I recall but it came to me from the nursery of Simon Bond (Thuya Alpine Nursery) in England.  For me it grows to a compact and dense mat about 10-12 cms high and the flowers are larger than but the same colour as those of P. hookeri. I hadn't noticed a scent (shame on me) but will look for it in the spring.

Just yesterday I dug the whole mat, to put in a moister place.

[Afloden]

 Well, the P graminifolium has become quite the world traveler. The flowers are larger than P. hookeri? Where is the hookeri from? The literature says P. hookeri has a perianth 15-25 mm, graminifolium 12-16 mm, BUT literature is not always correct.

 Here are some photos of P. alte-lobatum. This is an epiphytic plant from Taiwan, this particular one is BSWJ 1886. Habit photo and the single flower dissected. Still attempting a mitotic chromosome count. Note the small, abruptly tapered filaments, nearly equal style and ovary, and the imbricate tepals. This aborted all but one flower and had one with the terminal leaf......

 Aaron

[Afloden]

 And here are some of the Polygonatum "punctatum" ex Chen Yi. It has terminal flowers! Or would these be subterminal since two leaves are borne at the apex? These are very close to what Crug calls P. tonkinense (P. tonkinense is actually a Disporopsis) in appearance, but I am waiting for that to flower. They say their plants have terminal flowers and may belong in Heteropolygonatum, but I prefer to think that Heteropolygonatum belongs in Polygonatum .

 Also note that the inflorescences are held erect above the leaves. The dissected flower shows the length of the filament and the stamen. The filaments are mostly glabrous with a small amount of papillae on the outward side near the stamen attachment.

 Thanks for the edits Maggi!

[Lesley Cox]

Larger than hookeri as I have it Aaron. I'll need to wait until both flower again in 7 or 8 months to compare them but yes, I'm sure hookeri has smaller flowers and shorter stems.

[bulborum]

Another picture of P. multiflorum multifide
and who knows this sp. bought from Chen Yi as P. oppositifolum
and a Polygonatum odoratum var odoratum Variegatum
this is not the Japanese form which I call
Polygonatum odoratum var japonicum Variegatum
as long as there is discussion for the name
this is a collection in the dunes of Holland near IJmuiden

Roland

[Afloden]

Lesley, hopefully my P. hookeri will flower this spring. It has proven to be somewhat difficult to grow, but a friend once again sent more rhizomes to murder. I have given them rich moist soil, which is how he grows it. It came up last year and looked good all season. I would like to see your P. hookeri if P. graminifolium is larger. Chen Yi, which I hear is difficult to order from in AU and NZ, has sent out what is likely the not-a-synonym P. pumilum which is similar to P. graminifolium in gross morphology, but grows in the range of P. hookeri (separated by elevation), is not precocious, and has smaller flowers, 10-12 mm.

 The P. oppositifolium ex Chen Yi is yet another I have not received from her and nothing at all came this year which means I saved some money. Your plant is likely P. cathcartii - the brownish tepal lobes are different and not mentioned in the literature. I would say the probability is about 99% judging by the herbarium specimens I have seen.

 The variegated P. odoratum is nice.

 Here is true P. oppositifolium BSWJ 2537. It can have subopposite leaves proximally. Note the densely papillose filaments near the stamen, but thinner and glabrous above.

 

[bulborum]

I have the same from bledyn

some pics of Polygonatum odoratum var. odoratum RGB 02-303 Duinen IJmuiden

[bulborum]

I forgot this autumn I can send you seeds from my "P. oppositifolium"
I think rootstock's to US is not easy
I have a few nice selections of "P.oppositifolium"
I will try to find some pictures of them

Roland

[bulborum]

For the discussion of Polygonatum verticilatum
the difference between the European and Asian Polygonatum verticilatum
These are the seed pots of a Belgium collection
near the German border of Polygonatum verticilatum
later this spring I will post the flowers the pictures are not good enough

Roland

[bulborum]

A Yellow leaved Polygonatum multiflorum
found in my valley

Roland

[Lesley Cox]

Very handsome fruit on the P. verticillatum

[Regelian]

Manno, my P. verticillatum never sets fruit!  Does one need two clones to produce set?  And, while we're at it, how long are the seeds viable?  Is this an ephemeral-like seed, needing moist packing, or do they travel well in a dried state?  I want to add some more to my woodland bed, but, as plants are not easy to find, I would like to try with seed.  It's more fun, anyway! 

[bulborum]

If mine set seed you can have some
In witch one are you interested Botanical or a selection like Serbian Dwarf
best plant the seeds as soon as possible
but it can take 2 years before they germinate

Roland

[Regelian]

Roland,

that is most kind!  I didn't realise that they could require 2 years to germinate.  Is this the case with fresh seed, as well?  I was hoping to pull together a collection of some interesting Polygonatum species, representing various types.  As I do not have room to go overboard, I hope to find species that have some special feature interest, such as berries, height, different blossoms.  Any favs that you would recommend?

 I have some seedlings of Streptopus  I plan to plant out this Spring.  They germinated very quickly for me (over winter).  I don't know how closely related they are to the Polygonatums.

[bulborum]

Mostly Polygonatum germinate the second year
but they produce a kind of a very small rhizome under the ground
without a leave the first year
I have the best results with fresh seed but older seeds germinate also
they like a cold period during the winter

Roland