Romulea species

[Rafa]

yes, it is good idea, because little bulbs could be dehydratated if the soil is too dry...

[Hristo]

It's a weed, but a pretty one! Sadly indoors in a planter with me, not running wild and free!
Though hope to find bulbocodium later in the year on the Black Sea coast.

[tonyg]

Romulea atranda - looking better than ever this year.  Easy from seed and hardy here.

[Hristo]

Super looking atranda Tony, waiting on tetragona here, have it in bulb frame and maybe outdoors in rock garden!
 

[Lesley Cox]

A real beauty!

[Alessandro.marinello]

of single giant the name Romulea gigantea

[Oron Peri]

Alessandro hai ragione,

The only explanation would be that the person that described this species for  the first time, haven't seen the actual flower

Very nice  atranda Tony 

[Ezeiza]

Hi:

    The flower is not gigantea, the plant is! Typycally Romuleas have different heights while in flower and later when the capsules ripen. R. gigantea can reach 50 cm. in height when the capsules are ready. Easy to separate from other Romuleas on this.

Regards

[Oron Peri]

In that case I  take my words back,
Thanks for the information Alberto.

[Ezeiza]

Not at all, Oron.

                      Gigantea along with minutiflora, etc. can be readily identified by the small size of its flowers!

[Hristo]

Allesandro, Ezeiza,
Many thanks for the pic and info on R.gigantea, the flower and the form described match my posting of ramiflora, never trust AGS seed I guess!

[Ezeiza]

But, Hristo:

               Both Romulea gigantea (South Africa, tender) and R. ramiflora (Eurasian, hardy) do exist and are good species. South African Romuleas are not so widely grown because they need strong sunshine and frost free conditions while in growth.

                It is very probable that your R. ramiflora is that species. Oron has been posting images of the "real thing" Romuleas. This is very useful as for instance R. bulbocodium has been widely distributed under other valid names. This is why there is such a dela of confusion concerning Romuleas in cultivation.

Alberto

[Maggi Young]

never trust AGS seed I guess!

One can never be 100 % sure of the naming of any seed from an exchange with as large a list and number of contributors as the AGS or SRGC, though every attempt is made for correct neaming..... mind you, you could say the same for  any seed.... mistakes, mix-ups, stuff happens!!! I'm just always pleased to hear of things growing from exchange seeds.... shows something is working in the system...... it may be incorrectly labelled, but there's a flower to enjoy!!

[Hristo]

I take your point Alberto,
However if we are accpeting that last posting by Allessandro is R.gigantea, then the plant I posted is also R.gigantea.
The flowers could be the same picture and the growth form is identical, you can not see on my photo that the flower is at the end of a 20cm stem that is actually still growing! The link below to the Pacific Bulb Society is quite illuminating.

Maggi, my appologies, 'never trust' might better read as 'Check thouroghly once flowering'!
I agree there is always a flower to enjoy, the great thing about this forum is I can now put a correct name to the plant I have grown under the 'wrong' name as supplied with the seed! This plant is setting seed ( lots of it ) and will go into seed exchanges, I would rather it went into an exchange under the correct name rather than perpetuating an error in naming, which it seems could be a common problem with this species, as per the link below.

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/SouthAfricanRomuleasTwo#gigantea

[Ezeiza]

That sound sensible!

Friends in England had been sending me seed they received from several Exchanges and it is very frustrating to finally find that something you were growing with great care turns out to be some odd hybrid or even plants of different genera. i have even grown Geissorhizas that showed conspicuous crocus leaves since germination.

Of course most of the stuff is good and properly named but it is a chore when that happen. Volunteer plants like this Romulea gigantea, Romulea rosea or Habranthus tubispathus are the culprits as they would easily invade nearby pots.

Regards