June 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Thanks.  Hopefully you can try again this year and hopefully it will work out better.  Can but try.  The friend of mine I visited who had his stolen had a dark pink apparently too, from memory.  Even if we can find someone else that has another dark one we could harvest pollen and trade it to maximise seed etc.  Never seen anything other than white or very pale shades myself, so can't help in that regard unfortunately.  You're right, the cross between a pale and dark would likely not produce much dark, but then again might be worth trying it just in case.  At least that way the offspring could be crossed again to see whether they could throw to the dark parent.... and maybe there might be a range of colours in the first generation anyway?  Would be nice to keep the dark "pure" though.

[Rogan]

This is the darkest form of M. depressa that we have - not really 'dark' at all! I would be glad to see a picture of your red one, Fermi.

What you can try is to collect pollen from your white form, microwave it for 20 seconds or so to inactivate it, mix it with pollen from your red form and then apply the mixture to the stigmas of your red form. This is supposed to dupe the plant into thinking it is being cross polinated making it accept its own pollen as foreign - or so the story goes. Here I have to admit that I've never tried this myself! 

...worth a try if nothing else. 

[fermides]

Hmmmmm? I tried to post a pic but the "attach" part doesn't allow me to "browse" for a pic. I wonder if this is an "upgrade" or a temporary glitch?

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Seems to work fine for me (I didn't actually upload, but could get into the browse area), so might have just been a glitch.

Rogan,

I quite like that darker depressa.  Interesting to see leaf markings as mine has pure green leaves and white flowers.

[Lesley Cox]

Fermi, I thought your red was a different species, not depressa?

[fermides]

Fermi, I thought your red was a different species, not depressa?

Hi Lesley,
according to Geoff Wilson who sold it to me, it's now most likely to be considered a form of M. depressa.
The "browse" faciltity is back so I've uploaded the pic from last July.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

So any chance of getting a second one or pollen from Geoff?  It really is lovely.

[Rogan]

Thanks for the pic Fermi, it really is a lovely form.

As we have several plants of the flesh-coloured form, I'll try and get them to set some seed to spread around.

Lesley, Isn't it nice when somebody is made to eat their own words - Pakistan metered out harsh punishment to us last night didn't they 

[Paul T]

Rogan,

I would definitely be interested in seed if you have some to spare.  I'd love to try for different colours.  The "normal" white depressa has started opening it's first flowers in the last day or two.

Here's some stuff flowering for me at the moment...  The double Epacris impressa is still flowering, weeks after I first showed it.  The Arisarum vulgare is putting up flowers here and there, but for some reason I never get a solid display of them.  I'm always happy with any that I manage to get.    And the Lithops are flowering out of season, as they are supposed to flower in late summer, not winter.  For some reason they are all flowering now, with another half dozen flowers opening since this pic was taken a week or so ago.  Very strange.

[Lesley Cox]

Always had a liking for Lithops, and as a child I kept some in my bedroom, hiding them under the bed if my mother was likely to invade. She hated them, said they looked lke human innards!

The Epacris is definitely "impressa" Paul. Looks like a really good garden shrub.

Yes Rogan, we do suffer don't we? For my part, I never learn that I musn't gloat about someone else losing (Aussie mostly) when we have yet to play a match. It always comes back to haunt me. My current hopes are with Sri Lanka. Not that I'm fond of them lately though.

[Ray]

A few pics of plants flowering now.bye Ray

Massionia pustalata.jpg
 Narcissus cantabricus.jpg
 Galanthus elwesii.jpg
  next two.... double Helleborus  IMG_0666.JPG
 IMG_0667.JPG

[Ray]

On behalf of our new member Pat,some pics taken on Friday.bye Ray


 Aloe.jpg
 Romulea hallii.jpg
 Massionia.jpg

[Paul T]

Ray,

I love that pink Massonia.  Any idea of what species it is?  We've been discussing Fermi's dark coloured Massonia recently..... yours (or actually Pat's) is pretty spectacular as well.

[Maggi Young]

On behalf of our new member Pat,some pics taken on Friday.bye Ray


 Aloe.jpg
 Romulea hallii.jpg
 Massionia.jpg

 Welcome, Pat, good to have you join us! And thanks, Ray for lending a hand!   

[fermides]

I've been asked to post a few pics for Marcus:
Crocus biflorus ssp melantherus
Crocus chrysanthus "Sunspot"
Cyclamen hederifolium "Stargazer"
and Iris acutiloba ssp lineolata
Enjoy! I can see something else I'll have to order from him next year!
cheers
fermi