Finally I picked up my first Medinilla magnifica

[ntgerald]

I couldn't resist this treasure.

[Diane]

It's verrry nice. Unusual how the two open blossoms are on opposite ends of the spike!

[WolfinKW]

that is neat.

[Gin]

I had to look that one up , very interesting , according to what I read some of it's family members are used for medicinal purposes . Very pretty , I am jealous you find such neat plants where you live . Gin

[Tanya]

Ahem..... NTG, are you sure yours is the M magnifica? Yours looks like the one my sister in law is growing in her garden, M pendula. I don't find the flowers interesting, but the dark colored berries that comes after the flowers are cool. Please do post a pic when your plant have berries.

I had the M pendula before but died when I left it outside during winter. Anyway, heres a pic of M magnifica that I found during my www search. The second photo is the Medinilla pendula.

[ntgerald]

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/vanishing...es/V_KKapa.htm

[Tanya]

NTG, thanks for the link. Still, the article tells more of the history of the plant than about the plant itself. Very little info about how the plant differs from the other type of Medinilla

I have seen the plant with the large pink calyx (if those are called calyx) and large leaves, and I have to agree, the plant is magnificent.

Here are more pics of Medinilla
http://www.asianflora.com/Melastomat...tomataceae.htm

[bench72]

aaah yes, taxonomists at work..

one day it's called popcorn the next it's popmaize... where will it end...

[ntgerald]

I just received messages from my two plant mentors, who told me the magnifica has large pink brachts. So this must be pendulata.
I hate it when supposedly authoritative posts or publications are confused as much as laymen.
http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/198500277.html

[Diane]

It just proves the old adage that you can't believe half of what you read....