# Weird Monocots



## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

*Weird Monocots*

I have been meaning to start a thread for discussion of unusual monocot plant groups/species and their culture and since there are other botany fans here this seems like a good place. 

There are of course several large monocot groups that get lots of attention in tropical gardening (orchids, aroids, palms, bromeliads), but for this thread I have some of the smaller and more unusual groups in mind. Here are a few ideas..


_Pandanus_
Cyclanthaceae
Commelinales
Ruscaceae
Zingiberales

Some of these include potential viv selections as well as plants that can grow well as houseplants.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Nice thread! Here's one of the strangest monocot growth froms. Unfortunately, Dioscorea elephantipes does not perform well, here in Tucson. It is a caudiciform plant from winter rainfall regions of southern Africa.


Not my pic, pulled it off Google








http://www.ptmk.warszawa.pl/zycie/chrudim2007/ch6.html


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Wow that's an amazing specimen!

That plant reminds me of another odd group, the Smilacaceae. We have a few native temperate Smilax here, and I have also seen weird large jungle vines in the tropics.

Google: _Smilax_

When linking pictures from Google I think it is a good idea to at least include a reference with a link to the original page. If it's something in the public domain then it's a good idea to mention that too.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

hydrophyte said:


> When linking pictures from Google I think it is a good idea to at least include a reference with a link to the original page. If it's something in the public domain then it's a good idea to mention that too.


fixed it...


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I visited that page. Wow those people have an amazing collection!


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

It is nice, but, unfortunately, mostly collected material.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

How can you tell? Is it just because some of the specimens are so big?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I've been in the cactus and succulent business for a decade. I can just tell when a plant isn't nursery grown. Seed grown plants are more "perfect", they don't tend to have as much character.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

OK, so here's another cool winter-grower. Massonia depressa, growing between some rocks in my yard (bad phone pic ). A South African member of the Hyacinthaceae (I'm not sure if this is still correct. Isn't eveything Asparagaceae now?), this is a xeric bulb that comes from winter rainfall areas. It produces 2 leaves (usually) each fall/winter that lay flat on the ground. The leaves vary in pubescence and pustule density. In late winter/early spring, for me, anyway, a very short, corymbose raceme of whitish or pink, 6 tepaled flowers sits like a golf ball at the center of the leaves. The flowers feature extended stamens, produce copious nectar and have a yeasty peanut butter scent. Supposedly, in habitat, they are pollinated by rodents. At the onset of hot weather, it goes completely dormant, the bulb resting a few to several inches below ground. It doesn't seem to mind some summer water, tolerating our monsoon (planted in VERY porous mineral soil).











Here's another one in a pot. This one is the biggest I've ever seen. Unfortunately, I lost it in a hard freeze last year 
(a very poor pic)


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Whoa that is cool.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

This afternoon I wanted to take a couple hours off to get away from all this SOPA stuff and news about shark finning and everything else and so I went over to our local botanical garden for some picture-taking. 

I got a hundred or so shots and I hope a few will turn out. It is dark and shady over in the conservatory and my camera flash is fried so I had to just shoot with natural light.

I'll try to process some of these a bit later and post them up.

They have a few weird monocots over there.


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

always good to spend a bit of time in the olbrich conservatory. need to get down there sometime soon.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Yep it's pretty great I see something new every time I go.

I have these pictures here I just need to process them and post them up.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Just found Freycinetia seeds on ebay...less than five bucks for 10 seeds...

Freycinetia sp. Red Globe or Climbing Pandanus 10 seeds | eBay

Who knows how fresh & viable they will be, but at that price it's worth a shot.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I decided to go for the _Asplundia_ from the same seller.

I'm going to nick a sample seed for each one of these and if they don't look fresh I'll send them back for a refund.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Those _Aspludia_ seeds never sprouted. They were tiny like dust.

I've been thinking about getting some new things for springtime growing project. I am mainly interested in unusual things to grow like patio plants in the summertime and houseplants through the rest of the year. 

I'm going to place an order sometime soon with rarepalmseeds.net. They have some really weird plants in their catalog and this should be fun as a long-term project. I should be able to get a few things sprouted and growing, while I'm sure I will fail completely with a few others.

I am going to start making a list with review of their offerings. I'll begin with a long list, then whittle it down.

_Beschorneria calcicola_ Beschorneria calcicola

_Cordyline neocaledonica_ Cordyline neocaledonica

_Cordyline_ sp. (Cyclops) Cordyline sp. (Cyclops)

...more later...


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## skanderson (Aug 25, 2011)

ive looked over that site as well. never got around to pulling the trigger on an otder because i have too many projects going as it is. keep us informed.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

skanderson said:


> ive looked over that site as well. never got around to pulling the trigger on an otder because i have too many projects going as it is. keep us informed.


I'll try to take pictures when I get the seeds and to document progress with germination.

I looked at more pictures and that _Beschorneria_ is kind of boring to me; it just looks like a small sisal agave. I have browsed some more and here's an updated list...

_Cordyline neocaledonica_

_Cordyline_ sp. (Cyclops)

_Flagellaria neocaledonica_

_Gahnia novocaledonensis_

_Hanguana malayana_

_Joinvillea borneensis_

_Scirpodendron ghaeri_


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Ahh .... Beschorneria are cool. They are super easy from seed, come up like grass. Sure, that one does look a little plain, but has cool roots and can take it 20-30 degrees colder than Agave sisaliana.

I'm really glad this thread was resurrected. I've got some more cool stuff to share, will post pics later.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

epiphytes etc. said:


> Ahh .... Beschorneria are cool. They are super easy from seed, come up like grass. Sure, that one does look a little plain, but has cool roots and can take it 20-30 degrees colder than Agave sisaliana.
> 
> I'm really glad this thread was resurrected. I've got some more cool stuff to share, will post pics later.


Thanks. Maybe I will consider a _Beschorneria_. That one that I linked with finer foliage is actually more attractive to me. What do you mean that the roots are cool?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I mean the roots are semi tuberous and sport the bulbs on top. They can be raised for effect.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

epiphytes etc. said:


> I mean the roots are semi tuberous and sport the bulbs on top. They can be raised for effect.


Have you ever see this guy's stuff?...

Pots and plants by Kitoi


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## readygrown (Apr 5, 2008)

Heres a cool one
Bowiea volubilis or sea onion from Africa. It seems to thrive on neglect and grows a nice clump of intertwining leaves and stems


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