Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: ChrisB on April 05, 2016, 03:33:55 PM

Title: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on April 05, 2016, 03:33:55 PM
Hi,

These seeds germinated uniformly so are all the same species, but I very much doubt they are as described on the packet I got from AGS - Pelargonium quinquelobatum. Anyone got any idea what they might be?  I was wondering maybe some sort of papaver perhaps?
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 05, 2016, 03:59:56 PM
Perhaps even meconopsis?
Could you possibly show an individual seedling, Chris?
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Maggi Young on April 05, 2016, 05:21:09 PM
Got a real Meconopsis look to me.
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ashley on April 05, 2016, 09:34:10 PM
... and not remotely like P. quinquelobatum (no photo; sorry).  Mosty pelargonium seeds are also quite large, often 2-3 mm long, in contrast to meconopsis seed.
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 06, 2016, 01:00:47 AM
Got a real Meconopsis look to me.

Could've been a senior's moment (I'm old enough for them myself!) and the donor meant Meconopsis quintuplinervia perhaps? ???
Anyway, if it is a meconopsis that's at least in your favour ;D
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Matt T on April 06, 2016, 08:16:13 AM
Hi,

These seeds germinated uniformly so are all the same species, but I very much doubt they are as described on the packet I got from AGS - Pelargonium quinquelobatum. Anyone got any idea what they might be?  I was wondering maybe some sort of papaver perhaps?

Chris, I had P. quinquelobatum from the SRGC SeedEx this year. I have more plants than I need, so you're welcome to have one. Will you be at the Edinburgh show? M
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on April 06, 2016, 08:36:35 AM
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your help. I did think a poppy too, never thought of meconopsis though, and you may well be right, quintupliperva would work.  Matt, unless something changes I have no way of getting to Edinburgh, but often Alan Furness goes as does Peter Maguire, and either of them would bring me back a seedling I'm sure, if you can spare it.  Meanwhile I'll prick out these and see what they produce. I'll try to get a pic of an individual one when I do Fermi, and thanks everyone once again for your help!
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Matt T on April 06, 2016, 10:14:14 AM
I'll bring one with me and I'm sure it'll find it's way to you somehow!
M
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on April 06, 2016, 08:02:44 PM
Thank you Matt.  Here is photo of the seedling concerned, Fermi.
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Diane Clement on April 06, 2016, 10:20:50 PM
Chris, I have had a look into this.  I have found the original donor's packet for the Pelargonium quinquelobatum (3953) and there is some seed remaining which is definitely pelargonium seed.  I am therefore guessing from the look of your seedlings that you received Meconopsis horridula (3593) and therefore this was a error at the numbering stage.  This sort of number reversal does happen and is put down to human error, a small percentage does inevitably happen at each stage of the process.  I have put a packet of the real Pelargonium seed in the post to you today. 
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 07, 2016, 02:03:27 AM
Well, that explains it!
The seedling looks nothing like the Pelargonium, Chris.
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on April 07, 2016, 08:36:52 AM
Mystery solved, thank you Diane, your middle name should be Miss Marple!  I knew what it wasn't, and now I know what it is!  And thanks everyone else for helping me.
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Maggi Young on April 07, 2016, 11:09:41 AM
Well done Diane, for that clever bit of sleuthing, let alone the remedy. 8)
It is all too easy to tranpose numbers - a  book-keepers nightmare.
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: Diane Clement on April 07, 2016, 11:37:19 AM
Well done Diane, for that clever bit of sleuthing, let alone the remedy. 8)
It is all too easy to tranpose numbers - a  book-keepers nightmare.   

I am of the firm belief that transposed numbers are one of the commonest reasons that seed ends up not what it says on the packet!  Just happy that on this occasion I can sort it out as I still have some seed left to send to Chris. 
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on April 08, 2016, 01:03:16 PM
Many, many thanks Diane, the seed arrived in the post today. I'll get it sown this weekend!  Had very good success with pelargonium seed so far.  Also, Matt, further good news. Mike Dale has decided to go to Edinburgh after all and has invited me, so I shall be there after all!  Must get on and find one or two things for the show bench!
Title: Re: Miss-Named seed?
Post by: ChrisB on July 06, 2016, 11:02:33 AM
Well, it didn't take long for Dianne to send me right seed, which I sowed right away. It germinated beautifully and will probably flower later this year. Meanwhile, Matt gave me a plant of P. Quinquelobata and it has flowered already. I also got seed of P. barkleyi which is flowering already.  So a big thank you to Dianne and Matt!
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