Sinningia bulbosa

Sinningia bulbosa

  1. Habit and Tuber
  2. Feature table
  3. External link
  4. Publication and etymology

Habit and Tuber

I have several plants of this species, but none has ever even had flowerbuds.  The stems remain on the plant all winter.

The tubers are interesting.  See a picture of one oddball.

Sinningia bulbosa is one of the "Galea Group", a cluster of closely related species which all have flowers with an overhanging upper lip, formed by the two uppermost corolla lobes.




Feature table for Sinningia bulbosa

Plant Description

Growth Indeterminate
Habit Upright or spreading stem(s)
Leaves Plain green on both sides
Dormancy Stems not deciduous in my yard.

Flowering

Inflorescence extended axis.
Season Mine have not bloomed
Flower Red, tubular, with galea

Horticultural aspects

From seed My plants were started in 2001 but have never bloomed.
Hardiness Has survived 30F (-1C) in my yard without any leaf damage
Recommended? Not particularly.  It has not bloomed for me, despite many years of cultivation.  There is nothing memorable about the foliage.

Botany

Taxonomic group The galea group of the Dircaea clade.



External Link

Mauro Peixoto's web site has a picture of the flowers.

One of the highlights of Ron Myhr's web site is his collection of antique prints, such as one of Sinningia bulbosa.



Publication

Sinningia bulbosa was first published (as Gesneria bulbosa) in 1818 by John Bellenden Ker-Gawler (1764-1842).  It was a Rechsteineria and a Corytholoma after that.  Hans Wiehler transferred it to Sinningia in 1978.

Etymology: from Latin bulba ("onion", or presumably other bulb).