First snowdrops this year - Galanthus elwesii

Picture taken with my smartphone.

comments (9)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

It's because its often still too cold to go outside ;) Posted 7 years ago
1. Jivko Nakev
  
  Lion
  
  Lol, there are so many ordinary species around us and so we are accustomed to them that we do not even notice them, or even think that they would be a new species or country introduction... Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Well said, so true. The species we've documented so far are like a drop in the ocean :) Posted 7 years ago

WildFlower

Lion

You should take another photo of them when they open but I think they are Galanthus elwesii not G. nivalis. The difference is in the green markings on the inner tepals. I have uploaded a close-up I took a few years ago. It's rather dark and not the best photo but you can see the difference between the two.
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_MWS68497&res=640
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_MWS25432&res=640

However, there is a tricky part. I find a Galanthus elwesii var monostictus which is very similar to G. nivalis. Furthermore, G. gracilis is similar to G. elwesii with the same markings on the tepals but with narrow leaves. Now that I look at my first photo again, I wonder if it is G. elwesii or G. gracilis.
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20p?see=I_MWS42948&res=640
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/164897/0
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/164896/0

Posted 7 years ago, modified 7 years ago

Jivko Nakev

Lion

When I identified the species, I was also hesitating about G. elwesii and G. nivalis. They are in the backyard of my office, so I shall make some more photos of them.. Posted 7 years ago

Jivko Nakev

Lion

@Wildflower, I made a few close up photos and made some closer inspection. The coloration is as G. elwsii and G. gracilis. But I think it is G. gracillis, because the leaves seem to be somehow narrower and they are not flat to each other in the bulb - one leaf is encircling the other.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/164897/0
What do you think? Posted 7 years ago, modified 7 years ago
1. WildFlower
  
  Lion
  
  Jivko, you are mixing the characters up.
  "Galanthus gracilis and G. elwesii are undoubtedly closely related, but they can be easily distinguished from one another by the type of vernation (the position of the leaves when they are in bud), which is applanate (leaves flat against each other) and supervolute (one leaf encircling the other), respectively."
  It is the opposite: Galanthus gracilis has narrow flat leaves while the leaves of G. elwesii are encircling one another. Indeed in this case it is the latter.
  
  I am still wondering what to do about my first photo from Vitosha. The problem is that it seems to have narrow flat leaves but I couldn't find any report about G. gracilis from park Vitosha, only G. elwesii. What do you think? Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Jivko Nakev
    
    Lion
    
    Wow, did I mix them up? I've been too absent-minded. Posted 7 years ago
  2. Jivko Nakev
    
    Lion
    
    It is difficult to say judging by the photo. I had to dig down in the soil to get a good view of the bulb to see how the leaves are positioned. Otherwise upward the leaves are twisting and curling and if you don't have the both species in front of you it would be difficult to say which one's leaves are narrower or wider. Posted 7 years ago

The Elwes's snowdrop

Galanthus elwesii is a dwarf bulbous perennial to 30 cm, with broad, glaucous leaves and nodding, solitary white flowers in late winter, the outer segments to 2.5cm in length, inner ones flared at tip, with both basal and apical green marks that sometimes merge into one.

Info 5 0

Similar species: Agaves, Aloes, Onions

Species identified by Jivko Nakev