Re: A bit of identification (off topic)
- Subject: Re: A bit of identification (off topic)
- From: J* S*
- Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 13:27:19 -0800 (PST)
Barry:
Schefflera puekleri (formerly Tupidanthus calyptratus)
is, according to the latest Sunset Western Garden
Book, "a denser plant that branches from the
base....Flowers are greenish, borne on shorter, fewer
rays than those of S. actinophylla."
As far as I remember (nobody grows either in yards
here in Santa Maria), the "substance" of the plant was
a give-away to me. S. puekleri (Tupidanthus) had
stiffer, seemingly huskier leaves versus the thinner,
slightly drooping leaves of S. actinophylla. The
leaves of S. puekleri also seemed not so much "paler
green" as they did less glossy than those of S.
actinophylla.
To me, it was kind of like knowing who Uncle George
was when you saw him -- you didn't think "well, he has
slightly larger hands than Uncle Jake and more hair
than Aunt Sally". You just knew it was Uncle Goerge.
It was the superficial, overall, subtle-but-obvious
kind of i.d.
Does this help at all???
Joe Seals,
Perfect weather in Santa Maria, California
--- Barry Garcia <barry_garcia@csumb.edu> wrote:
> I'd normally not ask this here, but i'm dying to
> know and think the
> answer may be here :).
>
> I recently bought either: Schefflera actinophylla,
> or Tupidanthus
> calyptratus. I'm trying to figure out which I have,
> but from the
> descriptions on the web, it seems the two are VERY
> similar in appearance.
>
> questions:
>
> Is T. calyptratus more often sold than S.
> actinophylla?
>
> How do i tell either apart from just the leaves?
> (One description said:
> Leaflets tend to be broader, lighter green and veins
> in leaflets are not
> as numerous and spaced further apart than on
> Tupidanthus sp. - Well, the
> leaves on this plant are fairly dark green, but
> since i dont have definite
> samples from either i cant really judge the rest.
>
> Another thing, i've heard the leaves on S.
> actinophylla tend to be
> "subacuminate" when young, which tells me that
> there's some serration, I
> think. My plant has no stems on either of the
> shoots, and the leaves are
> all smooth edged (even the smaller leaves i clipped
> when i potted it up
> were smooth edged).
>
> So, could it probably be T. calyptratus?
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Apologies for this very off topic thread!
>
>
> ____________________________________________
>
> "The adventuresome gardener who tries plants that
> supposedly "will never
> live", who carries that proverbial snowball through
> the depths of hell,
> enriches our lives and expands the pleasures that we
> all can share."
>
> Daniel J. Hinkley, in "The Explorer's Garden."
>
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