Hosta ventricosa

(Salisbury) Stearn

Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 90: 27. 1931.

Common names: Blue plantain-lily
Introduced
Basionym: Bryocles ventricosa Salisbury Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 335. 1812
Synonyms: Niobe caerulea (Andrews) Nash
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 224. Mentioned on page 223.

Plants forming clumps 80–90 × 50 cm; rhizomes compact. Leaves: petiole spreading horizontally, light green with purple streaks at base, deeply grooved, 18–25 cm; blade lustrous dark green, broadly ovate to cordate, 20–30 × 15–20 cm, apex acuminate; veins in 7–9 lateral pairs. Scape 80–95 cm. Inflorescences: racemes stiffly erect, flushed red at base, 20–30-flowered, to 1 m; floral bracts broad, pale green, white at base; sterile bract 1, leafy, occurring at midpoint. Flowers 4–5.5 cm, not fragrant; perianth urceolate-cylindric; tepals bluish purple, lobes not recurved; anthers spotted purple. Capsules short, triangular, stubby, apex blunt. 2n = 120.


Phenology: Flowering summer (July).
Habitat: Disturbed open areas
Elevation: 0–500 m

Distribution

Introduced; Conn., Del., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Vt., Va., W.Va., expected elsewhere, China, cultivated worldwide.

Discussion

Hosta ventricosa, a natural tetraploid, undergoes pseudogamous apomixis and therefore breeds true, but is of no use as a seed parent in hybridizing. It can, however, act as a pollen parent. Like H. plantaginea, this species was an early introduction from China.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Hosta ventricosa"
Frederick H. Utech +
(Salisbury) Stearn +
Bryocles ventricosa +
Blue plantain-lily +
Conn. +, Del. +, Ky. +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, R.I. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +, expected elsewhere +, China +  and cultivated worldwide. +
0–500 m +
Disturbed open areas +
Flowering summer (July). +
Gard. Chron., ser. +
Introduced +
Niobe caerulea +
Hosta ventricosa +
species +