Re: Plecostachys serpyllifolia
"Sean A. O'Hara" wrote:
>
> Hi Folks -
>
> I'm researching Plecostachys serpyllifolia, a plant that is common enough
> in the trade, but as it is used mostly as a filler for container plantings,
> I can find little about it other than small silver leaves and trailing
> habit. It is usually called licorice plant for reasons I can't fathom (I
> don't recall it having much of a fragrance). I'd grown it in a former
> garden and found it a nice shrub with handsome albeit subtle flowers. It's
> name is often mis-spelt (so figure, eh?!) and it was once known both as
> Helichrysum petiolare microphyllum and H. microphyllum. Does anyone have
> any information they can impart about this species? I think it is native
> to South Africa, but am not sure. Its a nice plant and I'm trying to put
> up a page on the web site about it, but am having trouble finding anything
> to write about it.
Sean
I haven't anything recent enough to give the new name but using one of
my "bibles" the Harkness Seedlist Handbook I find a reference to Hortus
III (1976) which says that H petiolare is invalid and should be to H
petiolatum and Botanica cites petiolare as a garden synonym and also
gives that mysterious name Licorice plant. It is as you suggest native
to South Africa.
This is very commonly grown here but I have never seen or heard of a
varient with very small silvery leaves. The common "H petiolare" which I
have in my own garden has spade shaped spreading leaves 2.5-3cm long
rather more grey than silver. it forms great untidy mounds 60cm high and
nearly 2m across. For such an impressive plant the flowers are
surprisingly small undistinguished sprays in an ivory colour. More
popular here is a pale greenish gold cultivar called 'Limelight' and
Botanica also lists a variegated form which I haven't seen myself.
(OT I once saw the ordinary (large leaved) silvery one being used as an
accent plant in very large bedding scheme in Kew Gardens)
If there is in fact a small leaved "petiolare microphyllum" as you
suggest Helichrysum microphyllum cannot be a synonym as it is the
vaild name of a New Zealander described as up to 80cm high with yellow
flowers. Even in quite a recent publication I can't see any reference to
Plecostachys for any of our local species, though the large shrubby
species here are somethimes referred to Ozothamnus.
H. microphyllum doesn't seem to be in cultivation here, though from
photos it looks quite showy. The leaves are small silvery and closely
adpressed to the stems and the flowers 1cm across and bright gold.
I fear my information is likely to be more confusing than helpful!!!
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
