Crinum scabro-pedunculatum no.5
Crinum zeylanicum L. x Crinum pedunculatum R.Br. Bidwill and Macarthur raised several hybrids from this cross. Some were named and are described separately. See Crinum scabro-pedunculatum ‘Augusta’ for further details. One unnamed hybrid, no.5 in the series, was briefly described in Macarthur’s notebooks.
No.5. Very inferior to the rest. Flowers much smaller, petals narrower, of the [indistinct] and with a faint trace of crimson stripe in the centre. [MP A2948 Notebook no.4, p.6]. The entry is dated 1846.
Elsewhere in the notebooks Macarthur gives further details, giving it a name that is undeciphered.
No.5. Petals inferior in breadth to those of Helen and flower [undeciphered] stripe narrower, not so well defined, inferior in this respect to nos.1 [‘Cleopatra’] and 2 [‘Augusta’]. [MP A2948 Notebook no.4, p.40].
Horticultural & Botanical History
A Victorian figure titled ‘Crinum hybridum – peduculatum x zeylanicum’ was published by Mrs Edward Bury between 1831 and 1834. [Bury pl.30/1831-34]. The flowers resemble those of C. pedunculatum but flushed pink and with a crimson stripe on the outside of the petals, similar to C. scabrum. Although similar in colouring to Macarthur’s named hybrids this plant differs in that the segments appear much narrower. This is perhaps to be expected as this is the reciprocal cross, with Crinum pedunculatum as the seed parent. However this image is used as an illustration of a scabrum-pedunuculatum hybrid.
A large number of crinums grow in the Old Orchard, once part of the Camden Park estate and now the property of the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute. They are highly variable in flower form and colour, ranging from almost pure white to white with a bright crimson streak the full length of the segments, on the outside only. Flower shape ranges from narrow campanulate to broad trumpet-shaped. Identified as Crinum macowani Baker, they are somewhat similar to Macarthur’s descriptions of his scabro-pedunculatum hybrids.
History at Camden Park
Listed in the 1845, 1850 and 1857 catalogues as Crinum scabro-pedunculatum [B.93/1845]. This name presumably covers all the hybrids raised, some of which were named after 1845. Crinum scabro-pedunculatum varieties ‘Augusta’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Helen’, ‘Dido’ and ‘Thisbe’ were hand-written in a copy of the 1850 catalogue in the Camden Park collection, signed William Macarthur and dated 1850-51 [CPA]. This catalogue also contains a full price list, the five hybrids priced at 2/6 and 5/-. The catalogue numbers 94/2 – 94/6 were allotted them by Macarthur, presumably to assist with ordering. They are also listed on a hand-written page, 6a, in an 1850 catalogue in the Mitchell Library collection, this one signed Wm. Macarthur and dated 23rd Dec. 1854. [ML 635.9m]. Detailed descriptions are given in William Macarthur’s gardening notebooks [MP A2948], with additional material on ‘Augusta’ in Bidwill’s notebook [Bidwill p.7].
It seems highly likely that the bulk of the notes on the Crinum scabrum Herb. x Crinum pedunculatum R.Br. hybrids in Macarthur’s notebooks are in John Bidwill’s hand, with additional pencil notes by William Macarthur.
Notes
Published May 06, 2009 - 05:23 PM | Last updated Jul 04, 2012 - 04:47 PM
Crinum pedunculatum R.Br. x Crinum scabrum Herb. The figure was titled ‘Crinum hybridum – pedunculatum x zeylanicum’ | Bury pl.30/1831-34 | BHL
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
|---|---|
| Category | |
| Region of origin | Garden origin, Camden Park |
| Synonyms | |
| Common Name | |
| Name in the Camden Park Record | Crinum scabro-pedunculatum
|
| Confidence level | high |