Hi, Ive been puzzling over these three for a while now (though not obsessively) and thought there was probably a good chance someone here might be able to set me straight on at least a few.
Theres only three, a Monadenium and two Dorstenias. (Sorry about some of the sideways photos, they were the right way up in my photo gallery and im worried to somehow mess somthing up with this post since its taken so long to make lol).
The Monadenium was bought from a Spanish ebayer as Monadenium magnificum-Spineless form. It has deeply succulent leaves that are pretty stiff and persistent, sometimes having a semi spiny "blade" running along the central vein on the underside, like other monadeniums and the normal Monadenium magnificum. This line is not always produced on leaves though, the current rosette does not really have them. The stem is roughly quadrangular, loosely spiralled and has nubby downward pointing spines below leaf attachment points (size varies and sometimes they break and round off). It has not flowered for me yet and leafs out in late summer, then holds those leaves until spring.
- Monadenium magnificum "Spineless form"?
- Topdown
- Stem, lots of buds form in old leaf absisscion scars.
- Leaf underside
The first, taller Dorstenia was sold to me as gigas by a U.K ebayer, but I've suspected for a long time now it is just foetida. I really love this plant and it has grown very vigorously in its first summer with me. The leaves are quite shiny but not as crenulated or bullate as D. gigas leaves llok (I have never seen or touched D. gigas so its just my guess), they also have notably long petioles, which gigas does not seem to have. The flowers are quite large for the plant and have long slender enations all around, again unlike gigas flowers which seem to have nubby projections. The stem seems wrong too. I am just guessing foetida because its pretty easy (I had it growing under lights in winter, taking water and leafing out) and I hear the species is very variable, so it seems to fit the vague profile and might just be the most likely option becuase its the most common species available.
- Flower and growing point
- Top view
- Stem and base
The second was actually bought as D. foetida, it is much more diminutive of stem and leaf. It has smaller and slightly crenate leaves, much finer and slightly glossy, the edges turn upward instead of downward, like the first plant. The flowers are much smaller and dont open quite some wide, though it is possibly just behind in terms of phenology. It has been a much more reluctant plant to grow in general and only came into leaf when placed in warm shade with the seedlings in late summer. Even then, only one side grew at first.
- From above, shortly after it had started growing
- Stem and growing point
- More recent photo, along with seedlings
A part of my always wondered if I had gotten the two dorstenias mixed up, but I dont think the second really looks anything like D. gigas either.
Anyways, looking for help with all three of these, Ive not gotten responses from the sellers since either.
Thanks
Rory
, il look more later, thx for that idea