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Poliomintha and Chelonopsis

To All:

This post covers a bit more formal discussion of some questions about
Poliomintha and Chelonopsis brought up on the discussion group Alpine-L.
Since there is a need to keep plant identifications straight and always an
interest in new, garden worthy plants, I've added a lot of nurseries,
gardens, and collectors to this response.

Poliomintha:

The first question concerned the identification of Poliomintha bustamanta
(note spelling) as a new plant.  It has been around for quite a while as P.
grandiflora, having been introduced by a collector and herb grower from the
San Antonio area.  

The following comes from Phytologia (February 1993) 74(3) 164-167 by B. L.
Turner:

Poliomintha bustamanta B. L. Turner:  Nuevo Leon: Bustamante, along mountain
road to caves outside of Bustamante.  Brittle stem plants to 1 meter tall.
Leaves ovate lanceolate, glabrous (except for occasional hispid hairs along
the margins mostly 10-14 mm long, 3-5 m wide.  Corollas zygomorphic, 3-4 cm
long, pale lavender.  My observations on the flowers are that they emerge
white and darken as they age to a rich mauve-lavender.

Poliomintha longiflora has persistently pubescent leaves, 3-4 cm flowers and
apparently orange-red flowers.  It comes from further south than P.
bustamanta, in the mountains along the Mexico Highway 57 on either side,
halfway between Saltillo and Matehuala.

Other Poliomintha worth looking at (be advised, these may be difficult to grow):

P. incana from New Mexico and adjacent Chihuahua (white flowers)
P. glabrescens fron Coahuila (lavender flowers)

P. dendritica from Coahuila near Rancho de San Marcos (15 mm lavender flowers).
P. madrensis from Coahuila (purple flowers) 
 
The first two have been in cultivation; the second two are worth searching
out.  Expect them to be difficult to propagate and grow initially.  They
probably will like Mediterranean conditions and will need to use lush but
firm spring and fall growth.  Avoid excess water, and plant in mildly
alkaline soils with good drainage.  I expect that most will be hardy in
zones 7 - 9 (P. incana to zone 5?)

Chelonopsis:

These are plants that favor shady, rich subtropical woods (near moisture),
dry and wet thickets (especially in valleys), or open slopes.  They are
found from Japan (2) to China (13) and other parts of Asia (total 16).  I've
briefly summarized the ones from China and Japan from the Flora of China, v7
and Flora of Japan (Ohwi):

China (1600 - 3700 meters)

C. albiflora:  Sichuan, Xizang; wet thickets; corolla 1.5 - 2 cm, white
C. souliei:  Sichuan, Xizang; hillsides; corolla ca. 2 cm, cream yellow 
C. forrestii: Sichuan; forests, stramside thickets; corolla ca. 3 cm, creamy
white
C. giraldii: Shaanxi; thickets in valleys; corolla ca. 3 cm, yellow or red
purple
C. odontochila: Sichuan, Yunnan: dry thickets in valleys; corolla 3.2 cm, yellow
C. rosea: Yunnan; open thickets; corolla 3-4 x 0.8-1.2 cm, rose to purple-red
C. mollissima: Yunnan; dry thickets on open slopes in valleys; corolla ca.
3.2 cm,  rose to red
C. lichiangensis: Yunnan; open slopes in valleys; corolla 3.7 cm, yellow
C. siccanea: Yunnan; dry thickets in valleys; corolla 3 x 1 cm, dark purple red
C. bracteata: Sichuan, Yunnan; dry thickets in valleys; corolla 2.5-3 cm,
dark rose
C. pseudobracteata: Sichuan, Yunnan; forests, grassy areas, thickets in
valleys, forest margins; corolla 3.6 cm, yellow or reddish to scarlet
C. abbreviata: Yunnan; valleys; corolla to 3.5 cm, pale yellow
C. chekiangensis: Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangxi; slopes at low elevations;
corolla 3-4 cm, purple

Japan:

C. moschata (C. yagiharana): Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku; wet places along
streams and valleys; corolla 4-4.5 cm, rose-colored
C. longipes: Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; low mountains; corolla 3.5-4 cm,
rose-purple

Perhaps some of our collecting friends will come up with some of these plants.

Rich Dufresne
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