Re: Differences between species

Alright,
        Tardianas are sieboldiana/tardiflora crosses. Tardiflora is a longipes type/subspecies. Tardianas show the blue color and tendency towards lutescence of sieboldiana coupled with the smaller size of tardiflora. This is an early-late cross so bloom time is about half-way between. Crosses with these usually show strong tardiana influence in leaf shape, size, and color. 
        Montanas come in two basic types. The kind seen in 'On Stage' and the kind seen in 'Frosted Jade'. The first type is a very common weed in Japan and somewhat non-descrip in it's green form. Some think it a parent of no longer accepted species like Fortunei and Undulata. Vigor is perhaps its best trait. Flowering can also be a strong point with tightly-packed racemes and colored brachts. The second type (Macrophylla) is a prime contributer to large leaf sizes with high vein counts. Breeders like Olga Petrysyn use it in their progams for this reason mainly.
        Sieboldianas have very strong traits and are the source of two important traits----blue color and lutescence. Additionally they contribute good substance, rounded leaves, and rugosity. It's the second-most used species in hybridizing.
        Ventricosa has not been used too much in crosses because it is very difficult to use as a pod parent. The strongest trait it contributes is the typical bell-shaped flowers, but lately through the work of Mary Chastain, it is showing really dark greens.
        Longipes is a plant only coming into its own recently in hybridizing. It has an interesting collection of traits to contribute, including glaucous tops and white backs, highly glossy tops, very attractive flowering, piecrusting, red petioles, and more.
        Sieboldii is the most-used species in hybridizing. It was the original source for variegation in hosta ('Beatrice') so was used very extensively in the last thirty years. Positive traits include fast strong growth, high fertility and high seed/pod counts even several generations away, red petioles, and excellent compatibility with other species. Negative traits are also strong and include poor substance and poor wax finishes on the leaves.
         When trying to determine the species involved in a cross, relative bloom time can help, because crosses always bloom in-between the bloom time of their parents.
         Enough?
                                                                                                  ..........Bill Meyer
----- Original Message -----
From: b*@total.net
To: hosta-open@mallorn.com
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 11:02 PM
Subject: Re: Differences between species

Thanks.
 
You are telling me exactly what I am loking for..Ex.: plantagenia traits. Fragrance, larger flowers/pods/seeds, glossy wax above and below, larger leaves with fewer veins, etc.
 
What about now the tardiana, the montana, the sieboldiana, the ventricosa, the sieboldii, the longipes etc
 
Reggie D.
----- Original Message -----
From: n*@hotmail.com
To: hosta-open@mallorn.com
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 7:59 PM
Subject: Re: Differences between species

Hi Reggie,
        The first question can best be answered this way. Studying the results of DNA testing should let us identify differences between the species far better than any other method can. At this point it is still fairly expensive to do this, but in the next decade or so, we may start seeing this done.
         Until then we have to rely on observation. Hybrids which include plantagenia in their background usually show some strong plantagenia traits. Fragrance, larger flowers/pods/seeds, glossy wax above and below, larger leaves with fewer veins, etc.
         The actual number of species is a frequent source of debate. DNA testing hopefully will resolve this.
                                                                                          ..........Bill Meyer
----- Original Message -----
From: b*@total.net
To: P*@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM ; hosta-open@mallorn.com ; h*@egroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 8:42 AM
Subject: Differences between species

How can we determine the differences between all the different species?
 
How can we tell: this hostas has some caracteristics of plantaginea for example?
 
How many different species are there in genus Hosta?
 
Reggie D. Millette
 
 
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