Description
(Romulea ramiflora subsp. gaditana)
A fabulous little species which flowers in late winter or very early spring. It has flowers in a shade of soft amethyst or pale indigo. The shades always incline towards blue tones rather than red or purple. All of the forms I have seen display a white throat with no trace of yellow and this is teamed with primrose anthers (white in the superficially similar Romulea ligustica) and a largely white style (when this is not pure white, it bears just a tint of amethyst at the very tip). This is unique in its colouring, instantly recognisable and very distinct from the more well-known species.
A very worthwhile plant in cultivation, growing and flowering well, early in the year (February onwards here) and with a long flowering season and several blooms per (tiny) corm. Best potted, in a well-drained, loam-based compost, under alpine glass as it flowers so early, but it is seemingly cold-hardy in the UK in a sunny, well drained site.
Although many reports from Spain are said in the literature to relate to other species such as mis-identified Romulea bulbocodium or ligustica, I have in fact found what is undoubtedly this species on the Atlantic side of southern Spain, near Barbate south of Cadiz, growing close to the coast in firebreaks within conifer forests along with Аcis tricophylla and an Аllium species. It is a true-to-name stock raised from seed of this Spanish population that we offer here. This is also the exact plant illustrated (from our own stock).
