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Roscoea scillifolia seems to be represented by two forms in cultivation.
In many ways they are different plants, and could be mistaken for different species if a wide range of variations and intermediates had not been reported from wild populations. The black form (Roscoea scillifolia f. atropurpurea) flowers in June, the flowers do not set seed with me unless pollinated by hand (and not always even then) and the plant does not seem to re-flower on secondary growths later in the season. The flower is a quite astonishing colour. Jill Cowley says: "The purple flowered form is less diverse, and is usually tall with long-exserted peduncles and narrower leaves. The bracts surrounding the capsules of the pink form tend to be wider than those of the purple form. However, in populations of both colour forms, there are plants that show a wide variation in all their characters." Gary Dunlop says: "Two colour forms are known, pink and very dark maroon, appearing black. Apparently the plants in cultivation are all descended from the original introduction in 1887 by Delavay under the number 2685, who kept them separate." |
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| 20th June 2005 | ||
