RE: Musschia wollastonii
- Subject: RE: Musschia wollastonii
- From: L* R*
- Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 11:50:54 -0700 (PDT)
Nick: What family??? Is this related to, or a segregate of a
better-known genus? It's a good idea to tell us that for any
little-known or narrowly-endemic genus. I think I can picture the
rosette, but I don't know if I should attach campanula or borage or
daisy flowers at the top!
loren russell, corvallis, oregon
On Wed, 22 May 2002, Nicholas Turland wrote:
> Yes, Musschia wollastonii is seriously cool. It makes a giant rosette of
> long, luxuriant, serrated leaves elevated on a stem up to 3 feet tall. The
> reddish or brownish flowers are in a huge, branching, pyramidal mass that
> eventually develops from the top of the rosette. After the plant has set
> seed (millions of them), it dies. It's a very architectural plant.
>
> The genus has another species, also endemic to Madeira: Musschia aurea. It
> is a smaller plant of sunnier, drier cliffs, with glossy leaves, bright
> yellow flowers, and a more perennial lifespan.
