Podophyllum pleianthum ....and others

[Kristl Walek]

ah, I knew I had a picture somewhere that I took at the Montreal Botanic Gardens those many, many years ago.

Kristl

[Staale]

When on the subject of other Podophyllum species, maybe you will be interested to see a plant that I got from Chen Yi as Podophyllum versipellis, but that might just as well be an other species, as plants from her are often mislabeled. I have not tried to identify it (yet), but I have two different plants, and they have survided two winters here in Norway with no problems other than the first leaves suffering in late frosts. They have still not flowered, and that makes identification harder (that's my excuse for not looking into their ID, anyway)
The pic is taken in august, and sadly doesn't show the fantastic marbeling on the leaves in spring.

Whatever their name, they are beautiful plants. Any suggestions as to naming is most welcome.

[Maggi Young]

Staale, I have been told that each Podophyllum of these Chinese types require to grow long enough to have three full sized leaves before they are old enough to flower. You should get some flowers soon, I think.

[Greenmanplants]

Thought I would just re-vitalise this as the Pods are just emerging now and should be good for some spring photos soon.

Unless I should start a new thread???

Here's a couple of thoughts to start.

Podophyllum peltatum is a weed with me, increases about 6 fold every year and I've dug most out.  This is definately bee pollinated and readily sets fruit as a single clone. Flower the last below.

Podophyllum hexandrum or P emodi is lovely, also bee pollinated,  regularly sets seed without additional clones and these germinate relatively easily, slugs love the young tender shoots, be warned. Emerging leaves , flowers and fruit shown below.

Podophyllum(Dysosma) delavayi,  P. difforme, P. versipelle, P. pleinathemum are what I guess we are really talking about here.  Dysosma because that's what the flora of China has it as...never seem to set seed.  pp114-119 of Hinkley's book or the Kew monograph on Epimedium(which someone has borrowed at the moment  seem the best references. 

Bob Brown has a Microprop clone "Spotty Dotty" which seems to spell doom for the species in the garden if it really is self sterile.  I've never had seed off the mix of plants I have but have never tried to provoke any, I suspect the absence of pollinators to be the issue, I'll try for some paintbrush activity this year.

[ian mcenery]

Lovely Podophyllums John my poor offerings are barely above ground yet

[Maggi Young]

Some of ours are getting into growth... I just love these plants.
There's a great non sequitur there though, John....

the Kew monograph on Epimedium

.....why does an Epimedium monograph help with Podophyllums, please? 

[Carlo]

Perhaps, for starters, because they are both in the Berberidaceae...

[Maggi Young]

Wouldn't a "monograph" of a species which applied itself to various members of a family cease to be a monograph??

[Carlo]

...but a monograph that fails to mention close relatives is a little like trying to tell someone everything about Maggi without reference to the BD...

[Ulla Hansson]

There is a book, The Genus Epimedium and other herbaceous berberidaceae including the genus podophyllum written by William T. Stearn. Part 3 in this book deal with Podophyllum and Dysosma, and is written by Julian M.H. Shaw

Ulla

[Maggi Young]

The Genus Epimedium and other herbaceous berberidaceae

.....now, there's a sensible title for a book!  I prefer that if there IS a clue, then that clue should  be followed 

[Casalima]

http://www.kewbooks.com/asps/ShowDetails.asp?id=260

Nice cover!

Chloë

[johnw]

I have to wonder how hardy these Podophyllums really are. I see Kristl added a shot of pleianthum from Montreal and I wonder if it is still alive.  P. emodi and our native ones are both bone-hardy but I have my doubts on the others. It seems we can not winter any plant with the species name delavayi!

johnw - another beautiful spring day.

[Greenmanplants]

That's the "A Botanical Magazine Monograph" I was talking about.  Now if I hadn't lent someone mine I would have been able to quote the pages...

I guess they felt it was worthy of publication at the time and as it is only a few pages by comparison did not warrant its own publication......and as Ulla says, "and other herbaceous berberidaceae", it fits the bill.

Those pictures above are not this years...I simply put them up as an example to get us all looking....mine in the garden are just emerging.  The next 10 days should see them up.  Photos will follow...

[rob krejzl]

I have to wonder how hardy these Podophyllums really are...          It seems we can not winter any plant with the species name delavayi!

Not just you John. I was at a garden on Saturday, admiring plants of P. 'Kaleidoscope',  imported from the US along with delavayi and pleianthum. The delavayi is the only one which has died. Since our winters are relatively mild, it may just be more sensitive to disturbance. And my Magnolia delavayi continues to flourish, so the name itself isn't the jinx......

Coincidentally, I was asking someone yesterday whether the 'Kaleidoscope' would be self-fertile. Does anyone know?