Re: Australian un-named and unexpected archeology

 Dave wrote:
 
>This sounds very much like Grevillea sulphurea - the flowers and seed
>pods certainly match your description.  My only concern is that you
>describe the leaves as willow-like.  Whilst I suppose they could be
>described as being willow like in shape, they are very much smaller in
>G. sulphurea -  more like rosemary and quite hard.  In our cooler,
>wetter climate, they are bright, glossy, almost yellowish green, but
>I've seen them appear distinctly grey in mediterranean countries.

Oh, Dave, thanks for the effort, but I am familiar with Grevillea sulphurea,
and this really is not. When I said willow like, that's exactly what I
meant: willow, Salix alba, meaning narrow, flat, grey.
At first  I thought it could be a member of Bignoniaceae, but the flowers
don't convince me. Rod's suggestion about Proteaceae made me feel like Oh,
no. I don't know this family enough. I passed half of the day looking at ALL
the websites I know concerning Australian plants, to no end. 
I also called the man who had sold me the plant, who keeps claiming he knew
the name but can't remember it now. 
Who knows it, one day perhaps he will recover form this amnesy.  Meanwhile,
I think I will do what Rod suggested,  take a photograph and perhaps post it
here.  
On the archeological field(s): I sent my long , polite and as sweet as honey
letter to the man who had  to plant the hedge by the sea, suggesting the
plants  discussed here. In 4 pages I tried to initiate them to ecology,
landscape history, landscape preservation, rural history, I estimated costs,
etc., etc... Trying to make them at least suspect the complexity, the
challenges, and the vastity of the world connected with the simple item on
their list,  plants ( or more likely: green furnishing, as contractors  call
it here). The fun of this story is that they don't seem to have any idea
about it. They probably think I am a little eccentric. And sure they don't
imagine some people even PAY other people to do this kind of researches!
I have not heard anyhting yet, but  I'll keep the group posted.
As for my tomb, we are on a hold until the Head of Archeology of the
American Academy comes back from Tunisia, which will be next Monday. Then
she will decide what to do. Keep your fingers crossed, in case they feel
there is a whole cemetery under these gardens and decide to go ahead and
dig! I really hope they think it's not worth it. Come on, we are SURROUNDED
by relics of all the ages, there  is a Roman water mill (dug last year) in
the parking lot, and an Aqueduct under the groundfloor! Just to keep to the
Bass garden, and to Ancient Roman times.  In the other gardens there is even
more. I hope they will just take some photographs and leave my gardens intact. 
Ciao,
Alessandra
****************************************************

Alessandra Vinciguerra
American Academy in Rome
Via Masina,5
00153 Roma
Tel:0039\6\5846.444

puglisi@librs6k.vatlib.it

Check the Academy's Web site: http://www.aarome.org
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