Cym. Giganteum var. Lowii

[mjf45322]

Anyone out there know anything about Cym. Giganteum
var. Lowii. What is its growing conditions?
What it is supposed to look like?.
Thanks,
Mike

[Cym Ladye]

Mike,

I am familiar with Cym giganteum (syn. iridiodes) (note the small "g" and "i" used for all species nomenclature) but not a var. Lowii. What is the provenance of your plant? ie, where did you get it and from whom? Someone may have put a clonal name of "Lowii" on it but I know of no official varietal designation, with the possible exception of "Album" that could be applied to this species. At this time, I know of no accepted album designation either.

In order to have an accepted varietal designation placed on a species, it should vary from the accepted norm of the species. ie. size, stable variation in color, markings etc. but it still needs to meet the basic criteria of the species.

As a start, google Cym giganteum and see what you come up with. Then we can go from there.

Good Luck and have fun searching,

CL

[mjf45322]

After some checking on the internet I found that there is a Cym. Giganteum var. Lowianium. I suspect that this might be it. The grower says he has never bloomed it and is not 100% sure himself.

[Bobfharris]

Mike
I suspect that what you are talking about is simply an alias for Cym. lowianum. Stephen Early's website lists what you describe as an alias for this.

[Cym Ladye]

Cym. giganteum (syn iridiodes) and Cym. lowianum are two distinct species. I think Bob you might be referring to the renaming of Cym. i'iansonii, which at one time was included as a varietal of Cym. lowianum and listed as Cym lowianum var i'iansonii. It has since acquired its own name.

It is always interesting to me where "other names" of species seem to come from. Many times it is a one time publication of one plant. For instance, Early lists as "other names" under Cym. lowianum: Cym. lowianum var concolor and Cym. lowianum var viride. Concolor is a proper varietal designation but Viride is not. Actually, they both are concolor forms, lacking any red pigment. I not only know the provenance of 'Viride' but own and have had awarded a piece of the plant in the US. It stemmed from one plant originating in the UK.

However, what there might be is a Cym. giganteum x Cym. lowianum. This would be a primary (species to species) hybrid and has been registered as Cym Iris.

CL

[mjf45322]

When I got the plant I found that there was a name tag
Cym. giganteum var lowianium. From what I can tell this is just another name for plain old Lowianium. Am I right?

[Bobfharris]

Well of course the real way to tell is when it blooms and then you can post a picture. Basically if it is a yellow orange, it's giganteum (iridoides) and if it's green it's lowianum. As I said I am intuiting here that it is probably lowianum, but until it blooms we are all playing a guessing game.

[Cym Ladye]

Not all Cym. giganteums are yellow orange. I have a clone that has a cream base with heavy burgundy striping, so heavy as to appear to be a burgundy flower from a distance. The forms should be similar however and distinctive from Cym lowianum.

Research as many photos of both species as you can, post photos when it blooms and hopefully, if it is a pure species, the name will be apparent.

CL

[Bobfharris]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

Not all Cym. giganteums are yellow orange. I have a clone that has a cream base with heavy burgundy striping, so heavy as to appear to be a burgundy flower from a distance. The forms should be similar however and distinctive from Cym lowianum.

Research as many photos of both species as you can, post photos when it blooms and hopefully, if it is a pure species, the name will be apparent.

CL

CL
I'd love to see a photo of the burgundy one.. does it have a clonal name?

[Cym Ladye]

Cym. giganteum 'Cinnabar' 4n No photo on digital.

Sorry, maybe this year.
CL