Re: Crinum aquatica flower

[DandelionSea at aol_com]

My crinum aquatica is flowering again.  This time
there are two flowers forming on the spike.  The
second flower should probably develop a week or 10
days behind the first flower.  When the plant flowered
last year, I rubbed the sexual parts of the flower
together in the hopes of getting some seeds.  It
didn't work.  Does anyone have experience with saving
pollen?  I plan on saving pollen from the first flower
and using this saved pollen on the second flower in
the hopes of getting some seeds.

Mr. Newell,

I had a similar experience with white flowering form of Aponogeton ulvaceus 
about six months ago.  The literature states that this plant is self-sterile as 
well, but I never understood what that meant until Kasselman mentioned it in 
her mini-chapter on Aponogetons.  I guess the pollen is developed and released 
several days before the female parts are revealed, and by the time this 
happens the pollen is useless.  I was fortunate enough to have the plant send up 
inflorescences every 3-4 days, and by brushing the flowers once a day I got 
upwards of 50 germinating seeds.  Not knowing what to do with them, I let them 
stay where they sprouted and they all died.  I'm assuming that you can do the 
same with Crinum, but I don't know for sure.  I wonder if apomixis is possible in 
Crinum, and how would it be stimulated?

Either way, I would try to rub the pollen from the second flower on the first 
flower when it opens.  It might just work.  As far as saving pollen--I don't 
know.

Good luck,
Brian Rippon