This is trivial, obscure, and esoteric in the whole scheme of things. The questions posed do make me crazy and adds to my considerable confusion regarding my lack of understanding of many members of Section Bulbocodium.
The photo is of a Selection from a cross made in 2000. In theory it is a single clone. I believe it to be a single clone which has increased from a single, lined out bulb. The cross is from a Selected clone of Zinkowski’s [(obesus x Nylon group) x N. c. foliosus ‘Peter Watkin’)] which I crossed with ‘Mitimoto’. I made the cross in 2000 and Selected this clone for propagation and lining out in 2010. The flowers seem to be clonal and don’t vary much at all.
The foliage is what is causing my confusion. In the photo you can see strongly vertical, partway between vertical and prostrate, and fully prostrate foliage. The problem is that NONE of the species parents in the entire genealogy on either side are called for to have prostrate foliage. Every single species in the parental genealogy is described as having strongly vertical foliage.
I am willing to consider that I might have made an error in the parentage, recording, sowing, selecting, dividing , lining out, etc., etc., but siblings of it make me think I might not have made an error. I honestly believe this to be a clonal Selection from a specific cross that has been handled without error. If so, what’s up with the foliage? Why does it vary??? Does anyone have any idea of why this might be so? Is vertical versus prostrate foliage a constant species characteristic?
Should I just assume I screwed up somewhere and get on with the more important things in life??? :-)
Heather suggests that it is really pitiful and weird that I don’t have truly important stuff to fret over………..
Steve
I have experienced this as well. I have found that in my pots, all bulbs do not get the same environment. Some more air others better and more even watering. I have had cultivars with stiff upright foliage become floppy prostrate things due to watering and wide swings in growth rates as the leaves are emerging and developing. I wouldn’t sweat this. Line them out and see. I would bet they will look identical in the ground..
Steve,
Am I missing something here? My clump of obesus has very prostrate folage and Blanchard calls for it to have prostrate folage. As one of your parents is obesus x Nylon group, certainly that would explain the prostrate folage in your selection. In your selection, probably the new folage is vertical and tends to lay down as it matures.
Mike, Theo and Larry,
Thank you all very much for your REPLYs and thoughts. Very much appreciated.
Larry, you are, of course, correct. Don’t know what I was thinking and I honestly would have sworn that I checked carefully. Pretty stupid of me! I do feel relieved and much better over the foliage. Clearly a disconnect between the chair back and the keyboard. How’s that for an esoteric and obscure admission? Thanks for setting me straight!
Steve