Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Tim Ingram on April 01, 2012, 01:00:05 PM

Title: Paris species (?)
Post by: Tim Ingram on April 01, 2012, 01:00:05 PM

Can anyone give a name to this Paris species? It came from Washfield Nursery many years ago and has very slowly made a small clump ca. 15cm across and only 5cm high. A real little treasure.

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: manicbotanic on April 02, 2012, 08:12:14 AM

very nice indeed..ask robin callens he's very good on paris

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Paul T on April 02, 2012, 12:34:42 PM

Tim,

It's hard to see from the pics, but does it have the longer filaments on the flowers?  I'm wondering if it is one of the miniature types of Paris polyphylla?  Not that I have any actual experience of them myself, just from reading.  The size is about right for them.  I think they're var nana or var minor or something like that?

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Tim Ingram on April 02, 2012, 01:37:47 PM

Thanks Paul - somewhere hidden away I have some old catalogues from Washfield and will see if I can hunt them up. I've only seen much larger forms of polyphylla and didn't know that their are smaller forms too.

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Maggi Young on April 02, 2012, 01:46:42 PM

Quote from: manicbotanic on April 02, 2012, 08:12:14 AM

very nice indeed..ask robin callens he's very good on paris

I've dropped Robin a  line to ask him... :)

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Paul T on April 02, 2012, 02:12:30 PM

Tim,

I am by no means an authority on Paris..... they're rare as hens teeth here in Aus.  I just recall reading about miniature forms, and your pic sort of fits.  Good luck in sorting them out.... Maggi is right and Robin would be the best chance of a definite answer.  He has some AMAZING plants!! :o  Always generous with time, information etc as well.

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Robin Callens on April 02, 2012, 10:30:04 PM

Tim,

I am afraid they give me far too much credit.The only Paris species I know with narrow sessile leaves, slowly spreading rhizomes and very long free connectives on the stamens is Paris thibetica.However,the various forms of thibetica I have seen are much taller and usually lack the red pigment.Has your plant ever set seed? Paris thibetica,unlike the other species,produces black seeds partially covered by a red aril.

Robin

Title: Re: Paris species (?)
Post by: Tim Ingram on April 03, 2012, 01:19:53 PM

Thanks Robin - no sadly the plant has never set seed, and for many years was so slow and small that it was virtually lost in the garden. Now it is growing better I shall try to take some better photos and track down my Washfield catalogues. I was hoping that maybe someone else may have had plants from Liz Strangman before the nursery closed. This was before quite a few of the more exotic species were introduced which I have seen in recent years at AGS Shows.