Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: ChrisB on July 27, 2011, 08:31:37 PM

Title: Mystery seeds
Post by: ChrisB on July 27, 2011, 08:31:37 PM

Hi folks,  this is really dumb, but I found some stems with seeds on today, must have put them down and left them by mistake.  Anyhow, the seeds are now ripe but I just cannot think what they are.  As there are three sections in the pod I rather think they are iridaceae family, but maybe not.  If you think you can give me a clue I'd be happy.  Such a lot of seed and I just don't remember what it is!  Yikes, getting old...

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: Ezeiza on July 27, 2011, 08:46:50 PM

Or the other families with bulbs, Maren.

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: antondewaard on July 27, 2011, 08:51:24 PM

Iris ....?

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: ChrisB on July 27, 2011, 10:42:05 PM

Not iris, the seed pods were too many on each stem.  Could they be erythronium seed?  That's the only thing I can think of, been racking my brain....

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: Ezeiza on July 27, 2011, 10:47:51 PM

Scilla greilhuberi and others have this type of seed.

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 27, 2011, 11:11:09 PM

 A dwarf Narcissus?

I always have at least half a dozen seed pots with ? on the label. Pity, as I can't send them away. :(

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: David Nicholson on July 28, 2011, 10:03:03 AM

Erythronium??

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: ChrisB on July 28, 2011, 08:05:06 PM

Thanks for trying to help folks.  I should have photographed the whole stem, but it was at least 15 inches and very stiff with multiple seed pods on each.  The only thing I can think of up that part of the garden was erythronium, but having never seen seed from that, I'm not sure.   Could be anything from my bulb bed though.  What a dummy eh?  Next year I'll remember *not* to repeat this!  So I'll sow them and see what happens I guess.

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 28, 2011, 09:52:46 PM

Never seen erythronium seeds? I don't believe it, not if you read the Bulblogs. Usually they're paler, brown/tan shades. If there are multiple pods per stem, I'm wondering about bluebells?

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: ChrisB on July 28, 2011, 10:35:28 PM

Can't be bluebells Lesley, I wouldn't save seed from them for starters, but the stems of these seeds were very stiff and very long, longer than most bluebell stems, and also quite a bit bigger. The shape of the pod is similar to that of irises generally, but I have no irises that would have been seeding so soon, I'd left them there a month or more ago.  At least I can now eliminate erythronium from the mix.  I'm just going to have to sow them and try to figure out what they are.

Title: Re: Mystery seeds
Post by: fermi de Sousa on July 29, 2011, 12:32:23 AM

Quote from: ChrisB on July 28, 2011, 08:05:06 PM

Thanks for trying to help folks.  I should have photographed the whole stem, but it was at least 15 inches and very stiff with multiple seed pods on each. 

Perhaps it is one of the Asphodelus species?
cheers
fermi