Massonia 2015

[Rimmer de Vries]

update on the massonia pustualta from Arnold's seeds started in May 2013- the flowers are pinkish

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12729.msg344600#msg344600

it has been suggested these may be M. longipes. However, it may also be that they are hybrids
 any ideas?

Thank you.

[Darren]

I don't think the pustulata are hybrids Rimmer. Nice plants

Whether you call them pustulata or longipes is up to you - they are two names for the same plant. It was recently decided that the plant we had long called pustulata was actually a match for the (older) description of longipes. So the longipes name gets priority.  Edit: See info from Paul C below.

Your picture of 'M.depressa' from NARGS seed is certainly not depressa though. My guess is that this is more likely to be a hybrid. And I don't think depressa is in its parentage. It looks like pustulata/longipes possibly crossed with echinata, though it is hard to be certain.

The flowers resemble a plant going around as 'M.aff echinata', which has relatively small inflorescences but very large tumbleweed fruits and large plain leaves with a weird rough rubbery texture. I'd be interested to see the fruit next spring.

[Darren]

Here is the 'M.aff echinata' I refer to above. I've had similar plants from both Silverhill and Summerfield seeds. Also - a plant distributed by Kohres cactus nursery appears to be this as well. The fruit is on top of a 12cm pot - it is the largest fruit of any of the Massonia I have.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Darren,
Massonia longipes and M. pustulata have indeed been confused but they are not actually the same thing - they are two different species. Most of the plants going round in cultivation as M. pustulata are actually M. longipes, whereas the true M. pustulata is a different species which seems to be much rarer, both in the wild and in cultivation. The scientific paper which tries to sort out this confusion is freely available to read on the internet, at for example this address:

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Martin_Pfosser/publication/235874810_Massonia_pustulata_JACQ._1791_and_M._longipes_BAKER_1897_(Hyacinthaceae)_two_frequently_misunderstoodspecies__or_how_M._pustulata_becamedepressed/links/0c960519085652f06e000000.pdf

It includes a lot of helpful photos and diagrams which help to show the differences.

On hybrids, it is worth saying again that massonias cross so readily with each other that you can assume that if you have a collection of them, all seed set will be of hybrid nature unless you have taken steps to exclude bees and other pollinators and then hand pollinated your chosen species. I would urge everyone who sends Massonia seeds to exchanges to adopt this approach or at least to indicate that the plants were open pollinated (which means you will almost certainly get hybrids produced).

Interestingly, I have yet to encounter a hybrid between any Daubenya species, or to produce one despite much trying. Has anyone else been successful with this? Seems that unlike the massonias, daubenyas are most chaste!

[Darren]

Thanks for the clarification Paul, my mistake. I should have read the paper again before commenting!

Absolutely agree with your point about hybrids.  I've previously posted pictures of my Massonia prophylactics - here is one again, on M. amoena. Simply a cone made from stiff shade netting and secured with a paper clip. It serves to keep drone flies and other hoverflies out - which seem to be the main pollinators in a sunny autumn. Little danger this year - I've not seen a single one.

[Paul Cumbleton]

One of my Massonia echinata, raised from seed, has turned out with a variegated leaf. haven't seen this on a Massonia before - has anyone else seen examples? I'm not overly fond of variegation generally, but I thought this was reasonably appealing.

Paul

Massonia echinata variegated form

[YT]

What a beautiful and precious one, Paul I've never seen before like that. Thak you for sharing the pic.

[Rimmer de Vries]

Your picture of 'M.depressa' from NARGS seed is certainly not depressa though. My guess is that this is more likely to be a hybrid. And I don't think depressa is in its parentage. It looks like pustulata/longipes possibly crossed with echinata, though it is hard to be certain.

The flowers resemble a plant going around as 'M.aff echinata', which has relatively small inflorescences but very large tumbleweed fruits and large plain leaves with a weird rough rubbery texture. I'd be interested to see the fruit next spring.

Thank you Darren
All these came from the same seed batch from a single donor. Do you think the smoothe ones with the roundish leafed are truer M. depressa ?

[Rimmer de Vries]

These Massonia echinata, raised from NARGS seed in 3" pots look similar in shape and leaf texture to Paul's striped plant.

 Are these identified correctly?

[Darren]

One of my Massonia echinata, raised from seed, has turned out with a variegated leaf. haven't seen this on a Massonia before - has anyone else seen examples? I'm not overly fond of variegation generally, but I thought this was reasonably appealing.

Paul

Massonia echinata variegated form

I've had a M.hirsuta that had white variegation for two seasons then either died or reverted as I don't recall seeing it this year. Mine was also badly distorted (possibly virus?) and wasn't anything like as appealing as your plant Paul.

[Darren]

Thank you Darren
All these came from the same seed batch from a single donor. Do you think the smoothe ones with the roundish leafed are truer M. depressa ?

Possibly the first one might be depressa Rimmer. The leaves look right but the flowers are not yet open. Depressa has distinctive flowers and I'm pretty sure the rest of the 'depressa' pictures are not depressa.

Your echinata look right - or at least very much like the form of echinata I posted a picture of above.

[Rimmer de Vries]

Hi Darren
 on of the round smooth leaved massonia flowers opened and it does have different flowers and looks like its namesake Massonia depressa.

[YT]

Massonia pygmaea in a 9cm pot, today

[Darren]

Hi Darren
 on of the round smooth leaved massonia flowers opened and it does have different flowers and looks like its namesake Massonia depressa.

Agree that is depressa