2 Baby Plants - is ID possible?

[MWP admin]

I found time to make an outing yesterday (9th Jan) and amongst several plants that I need to identify, I found these 2 species which I can place together in one forum as "Baby Plants".

One of them is just producing a reddish peduncle+bud with no leaves. Romulea sometimes produce such buds, but there is always leaves present (the bud comes through the leaves). Scilla autumnalis have this life cycle (flower bloom precedes the leaves). Since there was only 2, I did not dig out the plant to photograph the bud.


The other species looks like some miniature Iris, which I do not think that it is Iris italicus [Gladiolus italicus Edited by MWP]. I found a numerous clump, so I afforded to dig out one for photography. It maybe just a lapsus and so, I am asking some ID help so as to decide whether to follow them or not. The place was in Ghajn Tuffieha limits (inland area).

[RB]

No. 2 is gladiolus.

No. 1 looks like a lot of bulbous plants but at this time likely to also be gladiolus??

RB

[Glimbo]

Hi MWP,

Cuties or what!

Seriously though, I know you have to be selective in how you divide your time, but, whatever these turn out to be, you'll be adding valuable images to the photo' library.

I for one would be interested in seeing which if the Iris you have there. I am also intrigued to see what the pink bud develops into, many lillies start this way.

Hope you can call in on these hatchlings again at some point.

glimbo[/i]

[MWP admin]

First of all I edited a stupid mistake in my original post as i wanted to refer to Gladiolus italicus not Iris italicus. I was typing Iris too much!

RB, for No.1 as far as I know, Gladiolus first forms its leaves than the flowers. I think this is something else, Hyacinthaceae or one of the ex- big Liliaceae family.

Regards No.2 I also considered Gladiolus, but can they be that small? And Usually Galdiolus italicus are often found in few numbers, or solitary rather than clustered like these in the photo.

I was thinking on Fresia perhaps.

Thanks Glimbo, i am anxious what would be your reaction in few weeks time

[RB]

2 definitely gladiolus, exact species impossible without flower though odds are that they are the commonest.

1, true, I am not convinced about, that looks awfully like Scilla as you say, but it looks large in the pic, the timing if of course totally wrong, and you already seem to have Scilla greenery in the pic anyway!

I could hazard grape/tasseled hyacinth, afaik the first leaves to break through are red, the shape looks right, and the timing not bad. Species forgotten.

RB

[MWP admin]

Re 2: I take your opinion as the Bible, though it seems that still I need to go (hope I find time!) and check about species 1. Maybe this is some Romulea. Muscari comosum is out of question (too large). Note that this bud was some 3cm tall and few mm thick.

[Tetraclinis]

MWP, I think you were right from the beg. Gladiolus (as RB confirmed) and Romulea. I think the leaves are those tiny, linear ones near the bud. So I suggest you follow it as it maybe R. melitensis.

[Tetraclinis]

PS: You really have a good sense of rare plants!