Copia parziale dell'e-mail di Colin Mills inviata il 27 maggio 2009 all'autore de Il Sentiero Verde dei Bulbi.

………………..

My principal interest is in the history of garden plants, particularly those grown by William Macarthur at Camden and will shortly be launching my own website on this topic, the Hortus Camdenensis.  Bulbs are a very important component and I have long had an interest in the origin of the multiflora A. belladonna hybrids.  Despite the volumes that have been written on the subject their origin is still obscure. To help me sort it out in my mind I carried out a review of the subject a few years ago and although this hasn't provided a definitive answer it has certainly helped me to focus on the research that needs to be done.  I have attached a copy which I hope you will find useful.  If you do find it useful please reproduce portions with appropriate attribution ……….

To summarise established facts concerning Australia and the origin of multiflora belladonnas (correctly called x Amarygia parkeri in my view):

1. John Bidwill was the first person to flower A. belladonna x Brunsvigia hybrids
2. He named one of these 'Ameliae' in honour of the wife of James Macarthur, Emily
3. This plant is distinctly different to the plants known today as multiflora belladonnas, having much more of the Brunsvigia character.  It is unlikely that this plant was involved in the development of the multiflora belladonnas
4. Bidwill also grew a large number of other seedlings, from the 'Ameliae' cross (A. belladonna x B. josephinae) and from A. belladonna x B. orientalis.  Of these he says: 'The shape varies greatly, the crosses by B. multiflora (orientalis) being generally wider in the segments than the others, and of better figure, shorter and more ringent.'  One or more of these seedlings could be the origin of the multiflora belladonnas but we have no detailed description
5. Bidwill carried out most of his hybridisation work in the garden of Sir William Macarthur at Camden Park
6. The first image, a line drawing, and description of what appears to be a multiflora belladonna appears in the Horticultural Magazine of NSW in 1866.  This was a hybrid of Amaryllis, the other parent not specified, raised by Silas Sheather, until a few years earlier gardener to Sir William
7. The first coloured image of an unmistakable multiflora belladonna appeared in the same year, a painting of an Amaryllis hybrid at Camden Park by Miss Fletcher, Schoolmistress at Menagle Park on the Camden estates
8. The first European appearance of such plants was London in 1875, an exhibit by Lady Emmeline Parker, the youngest sister of Sir William (not his daughter).

At Camden Park we are seeking to answer some of the questions.  We have c.500 seedlings of A. belladonna x B. josephinae ranging from a few weeks to 2 years old.  Unfortunately of all the strains of A. belladonna available to us I cannot be certain that any are uncontaminated (if that is the correct word) by Brunsvigia genes. I have one strain that I am reasonably happy with but it flowers weeks before B. josephinae thinks of waking up………………….