Romulea species

[David Nicholson]

Oran, thanks for adding the first pictures.

Hans and Tony, it would be easy to say forms of R. bulbocodium??

Michael one for you from the PBS Wiki

 http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/Romulea/Romulea_grandiscapa.jpg

[Tony Willis]

Oran, thanks for adding the first pictures.

Hans and Tony, it would be easy to say forms of R. bulbocodium??

David that is true but on that basis do you not think it would be necessary to say 'forms of' on every picture that was not a named form. If you look at any group of plants of a species in the wild or in a pot they are all different in some way.Some people would say they were all different species something which I think has happened to a large extent in both crocus and narcissus.

[Oron Peri]

Here are some pics of Romulea from my travels on greek islands
knows anyone a name for this plants ?

Hans the first is R. bulbocodium var. leichtliniana, the dark purple one is R. tempskiana, both common in the Greek Islands.

[tonyg]

Oran, thanks for adding the first pictures.
Hans and Tony, it would be easy to say forms of R. bulbocodium??

David that is true but on that basis do you not think it would be necessary to say 'forms of' on every picture that was not a named form. If you look at any group of plants of a species in the wild or in a pot they are all different in some way.Some people would say they were all different species something which I think has happened to a large extent in both crocus and narcissus.

And for most of us the more names there are the harder it gets to give a 'correct' name to any of them!  Naming local forms as seperate taxa may be useful in the wild but can be impossible for those of us largely raising from seed, often of cultivated plants. 
By nature I'm a cautious chap so prefer to lump things together but I'm not saying that I'm right .... just that its easier and sometimes safer

[Oron Peri]

The flora of Madeira mentions that there is an endemic species of Romulea both from Madeira and the Canary Islands, called Romulea columnae subsp. grandiscapa. But i had never seen this one. In what kind of habitats do Romulea species occur? I would love to see this one in the wild!

Michael,

There is a big confusion and a long lasting debate about all the 'small sized flowers' Romuleas, some consider them to be subspecies of R. columnae others treat them as species, R. grandiscapa is one of them. [as well as for linaresii and ramiflora]

I would look for yours on the coast line in areas with firm, moist, sunny sand where they don't have competition with other plants  in particularly grasses.

[Hans J]

Here are some pics of Romulea from my travels on greek islands
knows anyone a name for this plants ?

Hans the first is R. bulbocodium var. leichtliniana, the dark purple one is R. tempskiana, both common in the Greek Islands.

Thanks Oron !

[David Nicholson]

Came across this whilst looking for something else. I had no idea they could be found in the UK and the site mnentioned at Dawlish Warren is only 15 miles or so from me.

http://www.guernsey.net/~cdavid/botany/files/romulea%20columnae/index.html

[Joakim B]

David can we then hope for pics?
You seem almost set to go there so I am trying to put some extra incentive for You to go.
I will see if I can see any here in Portugal I think they do exist but I have not been particularly good in seeing/finding wild plants but hope to improve.
Kind regards
Joakim

[David Nicholson]

Joakim, I have to say that Dawlish Warren is not a place I usually visit by choice, it is a vast series of caravan sites, but I suppose I have an incentive now.

[Ezeiza]

Hi Oron:

            Can you mention any recent botanical key for these Romuleas? That in Flora Europaea do not seem to cover all these species. Since Moraea (Gynandriris) sisyrinchium is such a widespread plant all over the Mediterranean, it is not impossible that R. bulbocodium could be the same species over so many many countries.

            But, South African Romuleas are delimited considerating the corm shape, as the flowers in several are too similar.

Best
Alberto

[David Nicholson]

Alberto, is this any use?

http://www.mnhn.fr/publication/adanson/a01n1a4.pdf

[Ezeiza]

Dear David:

                 It is this group that is well studied and defined. The problem lies in the Eurasian and N. African species. I have grown a number here under different names but they all seem to be some three species and their color variants.

                 Many thanks.

Alberto

[Oron Peri]

Opened today the first Romulea for the season
R. tempskiana from Cyprus.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely little flower Oran, mine are only just beginning to show their noses.

[Oron Peri]

Hi Oron:

            Can you mention any recent botanical key for these Romuleas? That in Flora Europaea do not seem to cover all these species. Since Moraea (Gynandriris) sisyrinchium is such a widespread plant all over the Mediterranean, it is not impossible that R. bulbocodium could be the same species over so many many countries.

            But, South African Romuleas are delimited considerating the corm shape, as the flowers in several are too similar.

Best
Alberto

Alberto,

Sorry to have notice your message only now.

I will answer you later on since there is a lot to say about Med. Romuleas. [I grow all  Med. species accept R. nivalis]
I'm afraid  I do not know of any recent key for this family.