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Re: Support Your [Alien] Solanum

Tim and Hugo,

I've  got a name question here: What I originally learned as Solanum
rantonettii I was told had been changed to Lycianthes rantonnei.  Should I
go back to calling it S. rantonettii, or is there another plant by that
name?  Is anyone receiving this list who could give me an authoritative
answer?  I try to stay current on names, but it is hard being isolated in
the boonies of Northern California.

Regarding seeds of the plant-whose-name-is-in-dispute, There was -- and
perhaps still is -- a big old plant behind an old house in downtown
Redding. It had a lighter shade of blue or purple  than the dark purple
one in the nursery trade here. I propagated and grew both of them in
containers in my nursery for a while, and the old one set little green
tomato-like fruits occasionally but not profusely. Perhaps another
individual is needed for seed set.   I have not been back for years to
check on the original plant. I lost my plants in the arctic blast of
90/91, and stopped propagating it.  If there are fruits on it, could I
trade seeds for seeds of S. aviculare ssp latifolium?  Regular S.
aviculare (I hope that is really what I have!) does great here, only
freezing back in hard winters.





Tim Longville wrote:

> Hugo - Not certain whether it's encouraging or depressing to know that
> S. rantonettii doesn't seed with you in balmy Mallorca, either. Agree
> entirely about the attractions of S. aviculare. Definitely NOT the
> same as S. laciniatum, though - not if you've got 'the real' S.a.,
> certainly. There's also S. aviculare ssp latifolium, with (there's a
> surprise) big bold broad leaves and flowers like little pale mauvey
> blue hats. It only grows to around 3' here but would probably get
> taller with more heat - in Mallorca, say! It's setting seed here if
> you'd like to try it... Doesn't seem to be commercially available in
> the U.K. My seed was collected by a friend on 3 Kings Is., N.Z.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> Tim Longville
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