Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: bulborum on May 04, 2010, 10:04:44 AM
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I wonder if any member has any photographs of Caucasian Snowdrop
(galanthus caucasicus) that they would be willing to allow me to use
on my WildFlowerFinder website in the UK please?
I wish to use it to complement my chemical structural formulae
drawings of galanthamine/galantamine, a pharmaceutical which is
harvested from the said snowdrops.
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Cheers
Roger
Wild Flowers http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/
This question has sent to me from the PBS
maybe somebody can help I don't have the picture
reactions on Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
or send it to me and I will post it
Roland
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Roland, unless I am mistaken, Olga Bondareva and Dimitri Zubov - to name but two, have good photos of Galanthus caucasicus.... why not PM them to ask?
Here are two links to photos which you could ask permission for....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5090.msg145887#msg145887 Dimitri Zubov
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3352.msg88343;topicseen#msg88343 Olga Bondareva
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Under current nomenclature, Galanthus caucasicus is an ambiguous name because it is used both as a synonym for Galanthus alpinus. var alpinus (which is found in the Caucasus and Transcaucasus) and also for Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus. Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus is very much more readily available than Galanthus alpinus. Perhaps galanthamine was originally discovered in this snowdrop but I don't believe it is used now for commercial production, if it ever was. I think you will find that galanthamine is harvested commercially from daffodils (narcissus). These also contain galanthamine and the yield is better, presumably because their larger bulbs increase in volume faster than snowdrops do.
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My first post, please forgive me if I have got anything wrong...
Many thanks Alan_b, I have amended my website in accordance with your input on Caucasian snowdrop.
The BSBI website shows things a little differently, perhaps they need to be informed?
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All I can find on the BSBI web site is that the accepted name of Glanthus caucasicus is Galanthus elwesii. Can you post a link to their web page where you think their information is at variance with what I am saying?
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I had a quick look at http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/
The 'snowdrop (green)' identified as Galanthus ikariae is actually, I think, Galanthus woronowii. The two are very similar but in ikariae the green marks on the inner segments are larger, extending over at least half of the segment.
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The BSBI website page where it says that Caucasuian Snowdrop is Galanthus caucasicus is this:
http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/atlas_abspecies_select.php
Thanks for your re-identification of my 'Green Snowdrop'. I shall correct it asap.
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ooops, the URL does not copy correctly.
to find the 'page' simply search for "galanthus " in the search writeable icon.
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http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=7370.0&sppname=Galanthus%20caucasicus&commname=Caucasian%20Snowdrop
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One of the problems faced by the BSBI survey is that names change and distinctions between species may be refined or abolished. So what used to be called Galanthus caucasicus is now properly called Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus and what used to be called Galanthus ikariae is now called either Galanthus woronowii or Galanthus ikariae. Galanthus woronowii has been readily available in garden centres for several years so tend to be more common.
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I'm afraid its not only a problem for BSBI, but also for the rest of us; all except for the person or body who decides to rename or taxonomically split a plant into two, or more, entities. Taxonomy is a taxing subject :-))
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A thought just occurred to me. Does anyone please have a photo of Galanthus ikariae (showing a close-up of the larger green marks) that they would be willing to allow me to put on my website alongside those of G. woronowii that I already have in order to show the difference?
The photographer will be creditted, and encouraged to write a profile in which they can say a few words of their own.
Many thanks in advance.
The website in question is
http://www.wildflowerfinder.org.uk
[it doesn't sell anything]
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I don't have a photo of my own and most of the other galanthophiles have wandered off and won't be back here until next season. However, Judy's Snowdrops is an excellent source of reference material, such as these pictures http://www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/Plant_Profiles/species/ikariae/ikariae.htm . Alternatively, forum contributor Mark Smyth has pictures on his web site http://www.snowdropinfo.com/ikariae.html and I think he might be able to help you if you send him a personal message to get his attention.
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I'll look now
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Roger, I presume you now have your G. caucasicus photo, via the pbs list?
http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/pbs/2010-May/037050.html ?
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Hi Maggi,
I will surely shortly receive some photos from the said source.
Many thanks, and to all other respondents.