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A beautiful plant from Japan. It has leaf bases that clasp around the stem and distinguish it from the type subspecies,
which is rare in cultivation. Bright glossy leaves on long arching stems. Plants of the World online says: "The native range of this species is Central Japan (Kii Peninsula). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome." Writing in the JRHS in 1982, Roy Lancaster says: "At the Great Autumn Show on 23rd September 1980, however, an Award of Merit was given to the Japanese T. macranthopsis, a very different 'kettle of fish' from the normal run. In fact, by coincidence two plants were submitted for award, one by Mr. B. Mathew of Weybridge, Surrey, and another by Mrs K. N. Dryden of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. Grown in pots the plants had slender brownish ghreen arching shoots to 12in. long (30cm) bearing handsomely ribbed, lance-shaped leaves to 3 to 3 1/2in. long (8cm), clasping the shoot at their base. The pendulous bell shaped flowers 1 3/4 to 2in. long (5cm) were borne singly on slender stalks from the leaf axils. The three outer segments were recurved at the tip with a horn-like point and posessed a pouched nectary at the base. In colour they were lemon-rind yellow beautifully spotted red within. It seemed to me from the habit of the plants exhibited that it would grow naturally and look most at home on a woodland bank and I was interested to note that the growers recommended it for a semi-shady soil on the shady rock garden or for the alpine house. In the wild T. macranthopsis is found on shade cliff faces and this should be borne in mind when siting it in the garden." |
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| 26th September 2010 | ||
