[pbs] Hi, I'm new : Typhonium
John Grimshaw
j.grimshaw at virgin.net
Tue Oct 17 17:02:36 EDT 2006
Christopher Rogers asked about Typhonium diversiflorum. I assume he means
Typhonium diversifolium, which is a diminutive aroid from quite high
altitudes (2500-4300 m) in the Himalaya. As its name suggests, it exhibits
great diversity of leaf shape, from very narrowly arrow-shaped to quite
broad and rounded. The spathe is green with dark reddish stripes of varying
extent, with a dark spadix that emits the usual Typhonium stink. I
particularly remember seeing it in the short, overgrazed turf around Namche
Bazar in Nepal, in 1988, where it was only about 5 cm tall. Collected
material from this area has grown steadily in moist, humus-rich conditions
in the open garden since then, but is a bit bigger in such conditions. It's
not a great garden plant but it brings back happy memories of a wonderful
visit to an amazing part of the world.
John Grimshaw
Dr John M. Grimshaw
Sycamore Cottage
Colesbourne
Nr Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL53 9NP
Tel. 01242 870567
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