Hi Richard
I am sure that you are right as you have the plant there in front
of you. Even though scientific names are meant to be standard,
they are often changed, much to the confusion of this aging,
amateur botanist.
What a great website you quote. I have done several trips to
Australia, having family in Sydney and friends in Melbourne and
Perth. One of my principle pleasures there is your amazing
flora. I would have been immensely helped by a resource such as
this. I will bookmark it for future visits.
Best wishes
Peter
"Richard Wright" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 11:34:28 -0000, "Peter"
wrote:
Hi Richard
It is difficult from photos accurately to determine many
plants.
My book, admittedly written from a European perspective, gives
the following characteristics to look for in a Freesia:
-Slightly irregular, 6 petal (strictly 3 petals and 3 very
similar sepals) flower with 3 stamens (your photo appears to
have
6 stamens); style usually 3-branched.
-Style branches narrow (not petaloid)
-Few to many flowers on stem, in spikes or panicles (not at end
of stem like crocus)
-Plant with a corm (as shown in one of Loosescan's photos)
-Style 3-branched, with each branch bifid (split in two)
-Bracts 1.5cm; spike bent horizontally near lowest flower;
flowers on one side of stem; leaves soft; wingless seeds.
From this description (Stace New Flora of thee British Isles),
I
suspect that your plant is not a Freesia. Sorry - I cannot
tell
you what it is.
Peter
-
"Richard Wright" wrote in message
. ..
On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 13:13:50 +0900, "Loosecanon"
wrote:
You are right - the flower is scarlet.
I agree the search must go on.
To assist this I have posted a photo of the flower that
shows
more
detail.
The length of each petal is 9 mm. Note the brown base to
the
three
lower petals.
http://www.box.net/shared/static/zscyia95m1.jpg
Perhaps a Fressia laxa
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pb..._laxa_msi2.jpg
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pb..._laxa_msi3.jpg
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pb..._laxa_msi4.jpg
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pb..._corms_msi.jpg
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pb...laxa_seeds.jpg
Thanks. This is definitely the species.
Peter
The pictures of Freesia laxa (see URLs above) are identical to
my
plant. However on pursuing the matter further I find that this
plant
has been removed from the Freesia genus and renamed Anomatheca
laxa.
So perhaps that reconciles things.
Furthermore the plant is naturalised in Sydney, where I saw it
growing:
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cg...nomatheca~laxa
Richard