Unknown Carissa species

[Kenneth Greby]

Date/Time : 05 July 2008
Location Place : Florida, USA  Altitude : 1m  GPS : NA

Habitat : Nursery specimen Type : cultivated
Plant Habit : Armed, semi-climbing shrub ... Height : to at least 2m ... Length : to at least 2m
Leaves Type : opposite Shape : as seen ... Size : approx 5cm X 3cm
Inflorescence Type :  corymb Size : to approx 10cm in diameter
Flowers Size : about 2cm... Colour : pink in bud, opening white... Calyx :small, green Bracts : 
Fruits Type :   Shape : ovoid to rounded  Size : 2cm  Seeds : few per fruit, maybe 1 to 3

Other Info : hauntingly fragrant!

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z93/fastfeat/?action=view&current=Carissa2-1.jpg

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z93/fastfeat/?action=view&current=Carissa1-1.jpg

 This is a Carissa that I've grown over the years, and the nurseryman from whom I bought it in LA (a sharp plant guy in his own right) did not know the species. It tends to arch and make thickets, but will clamber into trees somewhat if it can. New growth is pubescent, retaining some even in maturity; leaves grayish-green. Large, paired straight spines (one opposite other on stem) at some nodes. Flowers are produced on very small plants, and are in large, showy, trusses and are hauntingly fragrant.

 Fruit is small, few-seeded, sparingly produced. Cuttings are extremely difficult to root (compared to C. macrocarpa).

 Not sure if this is perhaps an Indian species or African? It is rare in the trade here in the US.

Thanks in advance!

Ken.

[Dinesh Valke]

... most probably C. congesta

at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=91314344@N00&q=Carissacongesta&m=tags
and description at: http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Karanda.html


Regards.

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[Kenneth Greby]

Thanks Dinesh.

Does the number of flowers per inflorescence vary considerably for this species? The plants I had would produce large, many-flowered inflorescences (as in my photos) early in the season or perhaps as a response to fertilization, yet smaller ones, more similar to your photos, were scattered at other times.

Regards--
Ken.

---

From: Dinesh Valke <dinesh...@gmail.com>
To: Kenneth Greby <fst...@yahoo.com>
Cc: indian...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tue, March 16, 2010 5:44:19 AM
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:29974] Unknown Carissa species

[Dinesh Valke]

Seeing here in my vicinity, in the Western ghats, the first sighting of flowers is just about 2 - 4 on few shrubs here and there; then within a week's time it becomes profuse, 10 -15, more or less, not sure when exactly the season fades.
Another point to stress is that have not sighted the buds in "rosy pink" colour as your photo shows.
But most of our friends have got them.

Calling Neil ji, Shrikant ji, Prashant, Pravin and all explorers of the Western Ghats to provide comment(s).

Regards.

[rashida atthar]

Hi ken ji and Dinesh ji,
 
Attachng pics of Carissa congesta seen at Cec, south end of the national park in Mumbai on 14 Feb. '10. These are probably at the beginning or end, but not in the full flowering stage. I remember having seen some buds with pinkish  colour.
 
 
regards,
Rashida.

 

 

---

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:13:35 +0530
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:30040] Unknown Carissa species
From: dinesh...@gmail.com
To: fst...@yahoo.com; drneil...@yahoo.com; le...@rediffmail.com; pka...@gmail.com; kawale...@gmail.com
CC: indian...@googlegroups.com

---

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[Neil Soares]

Hi Ken,  Agree with Dinesh. A pinkish hue to the blooms is not normally seen. Sending you a photograph of some of my Karvanda bushes in full bloom at my farm in Feb. this year. Unfortunately couldn't find a close-up photograph of the flowers. [Can't rectify this as mass fruiting is occuring now].                    Regards,                     Neil. --- On Wed, 3/17/10, rashida atthar <rashid...@hotmail.com> wrote:

[Neil Soares]

[Neil Soares]

Hi Ken,   There is another species of Carissa - C.villosa with scented white flowers sometimes tinged with pink. You may need to check this out.                       Regards,                         Neil. --- On Wed, 3/17/10, Neil Soares <drneil...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[Kenneth Greby]

Neil, Rashida, others--

 Thanks for the additional photos and information.

 Overall, my plant had a more grayish appearance, though perhaps within the range of variability of C. congesta.

 I will see what I can find on C. villosa. That specific epithet jumps out as at least descriptive of my plant.

Regards--
Ken.

---

From: Neil Soares <drneil...@yahoo.com>
To: dinesh...@gmail.com; fst...@yahoo.com; le...@rediffmail.com; pka...@gmail.com; kawale...@gmail.com; rashida atthar <rashid...@hotmail.com>
Cc: indian...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, March 17, 2010 12:54:39 AM
Subject: RE: [efloraofindia:30064] Unknown Carissa species

[Kenneth Greby]

An interesting discussion and list of (apparently) now-invalid Carissa species is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carissa_spinarum

It is Wiki, so its accuracy may be suspect, though it is sourced to GRIN.

Regards--
Ken.

---

From: Neil Soares <drneil...@yahoo.com>
To: dinesh...@gmail.com; fst...@yahoo.com; le...@rediffmail.com; pka...@gmail.com; kawale...@gmail.com; rashida atthar <rashid...@hotmail.com>
Cc: indian...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Wed, March 17, 2010 12:29:29 AM

Subject: RE: [efloraofindia:30057] Unknown Carissa species