Canna 'Mystique'

A tall Foliage Group cultivar; purple foliage, lanceolate shaped, upright habit; round stems, coloured purple; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured cherry-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals purple with farina, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules globose; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured purple; tillering is prolific. Introduced by Kew Gardens, London, England, EU, but probably a heritage variety that had lost its name, and needed re-introduction. Awards: Canna Trial 2002, AGM after trial at Wisley 2002, submitted by Great Dixter.

Synonyms: C. 'Ibis', C. 'Old Red'

Revisiting Canna 'Mystique'

A tall Foliage Group cultivar; purple foliage, lanceolate shaped, upright habit; round stems, coloured purple; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured cherry-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals purple with farina, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules globose; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured purple; tillering is prolific. Introduced by Kew Gardens, London, England, EU.
Awards: Canna Trial 2002, AGM after trial at Wisley 2002, submitted by Great Dixter.

Synonyms: C. 'Ibis', C. 'Old Red'

Gene found to have a "barcode"

A “barcode” gene that can be used to distinguish between plant species has been identified.

DNA sequences of the gene, named matK, are nearly identical in plants of the same species.

The findings were published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Co-author Vincent Savolainen, a researcher at Imperial College London and the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG), Kew, said: “Now we have isolated the matK gene on a DNA barcode we could distinguish between species from just a small fragment of leaf.”

The research team, including collaborators from the universities of Johannesburg and Costa Rica, aims to create a genetic database of matK DNA. Scientists would then compare samples to this database and be able to identify them.

The method will make field work in threatened habitats easier. Savolainen said: “In future we’d like to see this idea of reading plants’ genetic barcode translate into a portable device… which can quickly and easily analyse any plant sample’s matK DNA… allowing almost instantaneous identification.”

He suggested the method could be used by customs officials checking if plant species were being transported illegally or for identifying plant ingredients in powdered substances such as medicines.

Savolainen added: “But it’s not the end of the story. The matK gene appears in 90 per cent of plant species. Yet there are still 10 per cent that are problematic.”

Minister for climate change and biodiversity Joan Ruddock said: “This is a great breakthrough that could save many endangered plants. I congratulate everyone involved in this project, which could have huge benefits for plant identification and conservation.”

The project was funded by the UK Government Defra’s Darwin Initiative, the universities of Johannesburg and Costa Rica, the South African National Research Foundation, RBG Kew and the Royal Society.

Wild species tamed

It has long been the practice when writing about Cannas to assert that the species are in total disarray, nobody knows how many there are or what the hundreds of published names are synonyms of. That is no longer the case.

Dr Nobuyuki Tanaka is a botanist at the Tokyo Metropolitan University and at the Makino Botanical Garden in Kochi prefecture, Japan. He has published a full taxonic revision of the Canna species and he has identified 19 species as being distinct and separate.

In addition, the botanists at Kew Gardens have assigned all of the published species names to one of the 19 accepted species, i.e. sorted the synonyms.

References:

• The original Canna checklist at Kew Gardens can be located at: http://www.kew.org/wcsp/.

• The Wikipedia has a separate article for Canna species, containg both the accepted species, plus all of the synonym names linked to the species. That article can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canna_species and reflects both the taxonic revision and the Kew checklist.

• Tanaka, N. 2001. Taxonomic revision of the family Cannaceae in the New World and Asia. Makinoa ser. 2, 1:34–43.

Well done to everyone concerned... now if we can find a source of Canna liliiflora seed, then I'd be totally happy.

Canna Trial web site opens

Keith Hayward of Hart Canna and Malcolm Dalebö of Claines Canna are pleased to announce the web site for the 2008 International Canna Trials has now opened at http://www.canna-trial-international.com/. Trial entries are now being received.

Entries are invited from both professional and amateur Canna breeders, collectors, growers and gardening enthusiasts alike, from all countries of the world. The trial is for new Canna cultivars, meaning those introduced in the last ten years or so. Submitters to the trial do not have to be the introducer of the cultivar, so those that are growing something new and special can enter it in the trial and share it with the rest of the world.

It is anticipated that horticulture trade growers will be visiting the trial, to take an opportunity to see for themselves this rare exposition of the best new Canna cultivars the world has to offer. Breeders can take the opportunity to present their new varieties to potential new markets.

The International Canna Trials in England during summer and early autumn are a must for all Canna enthusiasts and keen gardeners. Visitors will be welcomed by appointment, and we are all looking forward to meeting many old and new Canna friends in person from all over the globe.

England has much to offer as a tourist destination, and the trial is being held within easy travelling distance from London, so a visit can be included as part of a vacation agenda. So now, gardening enthusiasts who have been talking about a trip to England have the perfect excuse. England can also offer the world famous Kew Gardens and the Royal Horticultural Societies gardens at Wisley. The parks in London are a gardeners joy, and those willing to travel outside London will be amazed at what gardening treasure are available.

See you at the Canna trials…

Web sites:
Canna Trials
Hart Canna
Claines Canna