Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Friherren on August 30, 2013, 06:49:24 AM

Title: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Friherren on August 30, 2013, 06:49:24 AM: This is my first posting here.
Last year I got seeds from SRGC, among other Saussurea N. The plant survived the winter and now it has many buds. It takes very long time for the buds to open and when they open they look like this. What can it be??

https://picasaweb.google.com/101323492482877576488/SenastUpplagdaBilder?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_mu_qe4-W6Uw&noredirect=1#5916481903196589746

https://picasaweb.google.com/101323492482877576488/SenastUpplagdaBilder?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_mu_qe4-W6Uw&noredirect=1#5916060350352359170
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: olegKon on August 30, 2013, 08:05:23 AM: Welcome to the forum, Friherren.
I suppose your plant may be Leibnitzia nepalensis (former Gerbera nepalensis). What you have now are seed heads. You must have missed its flowering in spring. Camomile type pink flowers are at the level of leaves, tiny and cute, in spring, easy to overlook.
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Diane Clement on August 30, 2013, 08:36:57 AM: Quote from: olegKon on August 30, 2013, 08:05:23 AM
Welcome to the forum, Friherren.
I suppose your plant may be Leibnitzia nepalensis (former Gerbera nepalensis). What you have now are seed heads. You must have missed its flowering in spring. Camomile type pink flowers are at the level of leaves, tiny and cute, in spring, easy to overlook.

I used to grow this plant (aka Gerbera nivea) and mine never flowered but produced cleistogamous seeds every year. It was exactly like Friherren says, the buds took a long time to open and when they finally did, it was with seeds. After several years with it and no flowers, I got rid of it. I guessed it needed a warmer summer than it got here.
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Friherren on August 30, 2013, 10:25:31 AM: Many thanks for your answers. The leaves look very different compared to your suggestions, almost 30 cm long.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7P_5Cl4GoOs/UiBamUaE8hI/AAAAAAAARBk/BaV5ss3tGN4/s912/%255BUNSET%255D.jpg
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Maggi Young on August 30, 2013, 10:44:48 AM: Welcome Friherren!
I see what you mean about the difference in foliage between your plant and both Leibnitzia nepalensis and Gerbera nivea.
Leibnitzia nepalensis seems to have only a short pedicel and a very rounded leaf, while Gerbera nivea - in some photos, shows a longer pedicel and a more arrow shaped leaf.
The Kew Plant List does not seem to show the two plants as synonymous - I'm confused- again!
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Philippe on August 30, 2013, 11:13:02 AM: Quote from: Diane Clement on August 30, 2013, 08:36:57 AM
I used to grow this plant (aka Gerbera nivea) and mine never flowered but produced cleistogamous seeds every year. It was exactly like Friherren says, the buds took a long time to open and when they finally did, it was with seeds. After several years with it and no flowers, I got rid of it. I guessed it needed a warmer summer than it got here.

Same story with me. Never the least thing that could look like a flower, only seedheads, and plenty of selfseedlings all around year after year.
Will have to get it out of the bed too, as I find it quite ready to conquer the space...
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Thistlegarden on July 22, 2014, 02:04:09 PM: Hi all,
Could be Gerbera latiligulata?
Sal
Title: Re: Saussurea Nepalensis ! but it is something else,what can it be??
Post by: Maggi Young on July 22, 2014, 02:39:19 PM: Welcome Sal!

This efloras page of Gerbera latiligulata - http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=121476&flora_id=2 (http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=121476&flora_id=2) does show a leaf like the one in Friherren's last photo ( repeated below)
- but his first pictures seem to have disappeared so it's hard to say more. :-\