Re: new ID request

From: Victor Soukup <soukupvg at email.uc.edu> on 1999.04.20 at 17:54:02(3282) Les, There are two Dracunculus species, both essentially Mediterranean: D. canariensis from far southwestern Europe and the Canary Islands and the species figuring in the current debate, D. vulgaris, from SE to SW Europe. Neither occurs naturally in North America. From the discussion of about six months ago, you will remember that D. canariensis is tender and will not stand temepratures much below freezing point, and those only at wide intervals. D. vulgaris is rather commonly planted in this area (Cincinnati -- Southwestern Ohio on the Ohio River) and seems to be hardy. We seldom have snow cover and have on rare occasions (1977-78) had three days of -23 degrees F with days only at -10. It is thus quite inconceivable that the plant in question is anything but D. vulgaris, in spite of the poor quality of the photos. Of the "hardy" Amorphophallus species, only A. konjac, supposedly the hardiest, will with proper siting and as necessary winter protection, over winter here. +More Cheers, Vic SoukupAt 03:16 PM 4/16/99 -0500, you wrote: >Consider the confusion to have come from chronic sleep deprivation on an >uninformed mind. Now that I've been informed of the true ID, I clearly see >what it is. > >It wasn't I, though, who was growing it outdoors in Ohio. In fact, I've >been there just once. Anyway, now that I know it's a Dracunculus that >grows naturally there, I tend to wonder why I paid $15 last year for one >that rolled over dead within a week of purchase. (Perhaps I should go back >to Ohio.) > > Les > > > Victor G. Soukup Herbarium Department of Biological Sciences University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006

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