Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: annew on June 29, 2012, 06:45:22 PM

Title: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: annew on June 29, 2012, 06:45:22 PM
Can anyone please ID these polygonatums? The big one is about 70cm high, and the small one was obtained as P. hookeri, but looks different to what I have had as this species. Thanks, folks!
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: Afloden on June 30, 2012, 01:05:12 PM
#1, P. kansuense? are the stems a little rough, flowers in the lower axils only, leaves scabrous beneath (obvious under magnification)? If so, then kansuense. That seems like a large plant though.

#2, where from? Looks like graminifolium, but the flowers seem small. Is it fragrant, kind of like sweet violets? In China there seems to be a closely related taxon that Chen Yi has sent out that may need some work.

 
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: annew on June 30, 2012, 09:32:07 PM
Thanks for your help - I'll have a look in a couple of days time and check, but the small one is no longer in flower, so I don't know if it's scented.
I think I may have got the bigger one as P. curvistylum.
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: annew on June 30, 2012, 10:05:02 PM
Couldn't wait so I dashed out in the rain and dark to cut a piece! These are photos of the larger species:
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: Afloden on July 02, 2012, 12:14:35 PM
Anne, nice pic's, thanks. Frequently sold as curvistylum, but I would say that is kansuense. I have two forms (bought as curvistylum) and then one or two other dwarf forms, but all have a scabrous stem, the nearly horizontal inflorescences, and small pink flowers. They usually make long rhizomes and spread to make a decent colony fairly quickly.
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: annew on July 02, 2012, 01:52:36 PM
Many thanks for your expertise. :D
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 05, 2012, 02:23:16 AM
The smaller one is same as what I have as graminifolium, from an English nursery about 1996. I haven't had a sniff at it and of course it's underground at present. I'll sniff later. :)
Title: Re: Polygonatum for ID please
Post by: annew on July 05, 2012, 12:26:51 PM
Thanks, Leslie.
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