More on Chen Yi plants

[Tony Avent]

Jim:

You are correct in that A. sp. 1 A-04 (1998/1999) was identified last year
as A. saxitale.  Someone recently reported that as A. bathycoleum although
I can't find a copy of the post.  Let me however submit the following for
consideration.  According to the drawing in Flora of China, the spadix in
A. saxitale is held upward.  The spadix in A. bathycoleum is strongly
pendant. In our plants of A. sp. 1 (A-04), the spathe is strongly pendant
even upon opening of the flower.  Plants of this that were planted in our
garden last year have the same pendant spadix that reaches 6-9" (15-24cm)
long.

In the drawing in Flora of China, it shows A. bathycoleum with two leaves
and A. saxitale with one leaf.  All plants of A-04 have two leaves.

I'm certainly no taxonomist, but this seems pretty simple that it cannot
be A. saxitale.  A. odoratum is not pictured in the Flora of China, so I
don't have any reference regarding this possibility.

I agree that the "A" numbers do change from plant to plant and are not
reliable as identification.  I'm not sure their is a good
solution...possibly including the Name, #, and year purchased would be as
good as we could do.

Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery @
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC  27603  USA
Minnimum Winter Temps 0-5 F
Maximum Summer Temps 95-100F
USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
email tony at plantdel.com
website  http://www.plantdel.com
phone 919 772-4794
fax  919 662-0370
"I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least
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