Calostemma purpureum
Michael Vassar (above)

It isn't often that we get Australian native bulb pictures sent to this list... so it is nice to be able to do so for a change. This is Calostemma purpurea (or C. purpureum depending which reference you look in) flowering now in my garden. I haven't had these flower for a few years for me but this year there are three stems in two pots (one on either side of the house) so it must just have been the "right" year for them. Unfortunately C. lutea is not flowering this year again .

These guy produce fleshy little seeds that start germinating as soon as you harvest them. Very interesting little things. Every time I have had these flower they have always set seed so I am wondering whether they are actually apomictic.

Paul Tyreman (12 March 2002)

I got curious myself about the proper form of the name Calostemma purpure(a)(um) and decided to look it up.

According to Stearn's book, "calo-" in Greek compound words means "beautiful". Same source says that "-stemma" in Greek compounds is a neuter gender noun meaning "garland" or "wreath." So the correct form of the name is "Calostemma purpureum" and it means roughly, "beautiful purple garland" -- which certainly seems a propos to me, after seeing your picture of it in bloom.

Note also that "-stema" (only one M) means anther (botanically at least) and is masculine gender. Both Greek words end in "A" but neither is feminine gender.

Jim Shields
in central Indiana