F&W seed list circa 2001?

[Darren]

Hi folks.

I am in the process of reorganising my plant collection.  With a view to eventual disposal I want to ensure that anything with data, collection numbers etc, is properly labelled.

I have a number of plants, bulbs and cacti, from the seed order I collected in person from John Watson at Alpines 2001 in Edinburgh. These are not ‘ex’ or descendants but still the original plants from the habitat seed. One of these, Leucocoryne odorata, has lost half its label and I no longer have the collection number. I think it might start with ‘95...’ as L. vittata from the same year is F&W9540.

If anyone has access to the 2001 F&W numbers could you let me know the number for L. odorata please?

It is having probably its best ever flowering year here.

[Maggi Young]

Hello Darren,
 I'm in regular  contact  with the  Watsons about  IRG articles, so I'll pass this  message  on to them and  see  if we  can get  you  the  list.

[Gail]

Leucocoryne odorata, has lost half its label and I no longer have the collection number. I think it might start with ‘95...’ as L. vittata from the same year is F&W9540.
It is having probably its best ever flowering year here.

Can't help Darren, but does it live up to its odorata name? I have my first one from the Wallis' that is currently in bud.

[Darren]

Thank you so much Maggi, that would be great!

Hello Darren,
 I'm in regular  contact  with the  Watsons about  IRG articles, so I'll pass this  message  on to them and  see  if we  can get  you  the  list.

[Darren]

Hi Gail,

It is scented, yes, but to my nose the cardamon scent of L. vittata beats it.

Can't help Darren, but does it live up to its odorata name? I have my first one from the Wallis' that is currently in bud.

[Maggi Young]

Hello Darren,
I've  heard  back from John Watson. He  was  pleased to learn such plants  were  still being  grown, and  with their collectors' attributions.   
He goes  on to write :

"This wasn't an easy one, as our very basic field idents: date, place, number, provisional ident and records (i.e. whether herbarium specimen, photos, distributed seeds  and/or bulbs) have only been transferred to the their p.c. Word file from mid-2007 onwards, when I got my digital camera. The rest back to 1962 are typed in order on sheaths of paper, each season or major destination separated out like the chapter of a book..................

However, the clues that Darren offered fortunately helped to focus this process down considerably. When I dug out the year, likely location(s) and range of collectors' ref. numbers, I discovered we'd brought back quite a few leucocorynes from that trip, including a couple identified only as 'sp.' A quick glance revealed none apparently recorded as L. odorata. I speculated that maybe someone had seen and identified Darren's plant for him. Maybe even one of our original idents had been altered thus.
Then, looking at them all carefully again I noticed one as Leucocoryne ixioides (or odorata). Ah, that must be our man (or woman)! Its collectors' number is F.& W. 9573, and it was taken not to far from the coast at the west foot of the El Melon Pass in our home region of Valparaiso. Now that data is interesting, and allows me to offer further info based on the latest catalogue of the vascular plants of Chile, published late last year. L. odorata is now reduced to a synonym of L. foetida. Furthermore, it only grows in this region, and up to no more than 200 m. That means we must have found it at its elevational limit. By the way, the unfortunate epithet 'foetida' undoubtedly refers to the onion-like stink of the bullbs, not the 'perfume' of the flowers!

Cheers,

J"


I think this  is  just  the  info you need, Darren, and  kindest  thanks to John for  his  help!

[Darren]

This is brilliant Maggi! Thank you so much and please pass on my thanks to John also. I write this sitting in the greenhouse next to this plant and also L.vittata 9540 and Eriosyce napina lembckei 9522 which was listed as a Neoporteria. The latter has been fascinating. The smallest plant took 15 years to flower and is still only the size of a brussels sprout. I have a few second generation seedlings on the go from careful hand pollination between my three plants from the original seed.