Description

Lilium souliei Franchet 1898

Origin:
China, Sichuan, SE Xizang, Yunnan; thicket margins and grassy slopes; altitude 1.200 – 3.900 m

Propagation:
sowing Lilium souliei W/O-7144 # 1 BO ´02.17 (Lsoul1)
source: Bjørnar Olsen, Norway / China
25% germination, seedlings –> tissue-culture (06.19)

sowing Lilium souliei W/O-8093 # 2 BO ´11.19 (Lsoul2)
source: Bjørnar Olsen, Norway / China
25% germination, seedlings

Laboratory comment:
Bjørnar Olsen we got the seeds from to different times described: “Found in Xianggelila, Tianchi lake, 3850m. Incredible species with nodding, deep burgundy to black flowers. Found growing in acid and constantly moist, peaty muck alongside small Rhododendron, Rheum alexandrae and Cremanthodium campanulatum.”

Lilium souliei proves to be extremely tricky in vitro. This is – so far – restricted to the germination-time including the first 3-4 months. Although it is well known that souliei prefers a low pH of its substratum/medium and this can be easily realized. Regrettably the young seedlings reject agar-agar etc.. The roots die off. Therefore we are forced to let Lilium souliei germinate in a liquid medium, a method that we normally use at a few species and partly clones of lilies only (Lilium wenshanense, Lilium majoense, Lilium apertum and some more).

bulb Lilium souliei YC-X # 3 (08.20) (Lsoul3)
source: Ynch Chang (08.20)
tissue-culture (09.20)

bulb Lilium souliei YC-X # 4 (08.20) (Lsoul4)
source: Ynch Chang (08.20)
tissue-culture (09.20)

bulbs/scales Lilium souliei # 5 PJ (11.22) (Lsoul5)
source: Peter Janises, Sweden

product-image in courtesy of Alan Mitchell