Sempervivum

[RickR]

I had seen that same original description about the variety before, Mark.  In fact I had saved the page on my pc.  Frankly, I don't think I could distinguish between petals and sepals for verification, even if I dissected the flower.  Also, how it could be a true variety if it doesn't produce stamens (and therefore pollen) for reproduction?  So I wonder if that part of the 1929 description is an anomaly.   But I also read the rest that same literature quote that is more consistent with my plant:

For var. apetalum
--- "The rosettes are generally larger than these of the type and can reach between 2,5 to 3 cm in diameter" (I have had ones larger than that.)
--- "[leaves] with a less well defined brown marking on the apices." (Depending on the season and care afforded, my rosettes can look like my pic below.)
--- "Offsets are very freely produced on even longer stolons than the type, up to 9 cm in length." (As I said, I have had 5+ inches [12+cm])
--- "Unlike the type, this plant withstands the winter damp well and is very easy of culture." (Never had any hint of a cultural problems here, for the four winters that I have grown it.  It's as easy as any semp.)

Obviously, I've been wrong before; what do you (or anyone) think?

Edit: Further study has me convinced that I have the type species, not the variety apetalum.

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That 101 F day was really freaky, and very windy.  It was like being in a windy, dry sauna all day.  Like when you're in the sauna and blow on yourself, and it feels hotter rather than cooler.  Weird for us northerners.  Fortunately, it was only one day - 85 F the day before, 75 the day after.  But blooms really took it hard and withered rapidly.  Out of many, I have one promising seedling from Iris setosa 'Tourist': saw it opening at 5:30am when I went to work, and it had shriveled by the time I got home.

[Hoy]

Interesting octopus, Rick!

Not unlike this one, unnamed as usual

[RickR]

A very nice one, Trond.  It has flaming leaf tips!

Another thing I have noticed about S. octopodes: when it flowers, the stem always looks as though it is dying prematurely, even before it has finished flowering.  This time I am going to let it go to seed and see what happens...

[Hoy]

Her is one of my nameless Semps in flower now:

[RickR]

Those seem to be a lot longer and more clasping leaves along the stems than what I am used to, Trond.
  I like it.

Various photos of Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Minus':

An early November shot.  That's it to the left of Pediocactus simpsonii.

              

Late April:

              

I like how the colony builds in irregular height. 
 Late June:

          

[Hoy]

Some fine cushions, Rick! Are you a fan too?
I do grow a few at my summerhouse together with Sedum and other drought resistant plants. (Boat house in background)

[cohan]

lots of lovely plants, everyone! I've been taking tons of photos of my plants, and almost keeping up editing them, but no time left to post after that!
Here is a small series of some plants I received in 2009 from a European collector as tiny offsets of 'lost label' plants; she is a very serious collector, and if she felt they couldn't be named, I wont try! (probably some she knew species and lost clone info, others are doubtless hybrids).. from May 24 this year
I stuck them almost blindly into some group pots to mature- they were etiolated and pale from the mail, so part from seeing some hints of red, I didn't know what I was planting next to what... Now most of the pots are very full and need some divisions, especially where a couple of tiny forms are being overwhelmed!
Keep in mind that colours tend to stay good here all year, at least in recent cold summers, and always with cool nights!

This reddish plant is one of the 'fanciest' forms I have, its just getting going here,from its compact winter form,  but all summer shows very interesting markings/banding on the leaves besides good colour..

 

Group shots..



A couple other nice ones.. the second red is an extra dark one...

 

[cohan]

A couple of jovis, since I don't see a separate thread for those....

[Hoy]

You have some nice potfulls as well, Cohan!

[cohan]

Thanks, Trond! Some of those pots are really full and I have to take out some really small forms soon as they are being overwhelmed by bigger ones.. and many of the plants are ready to flower this year, after the 2009 plantings--I received two separate sets of pieces that year, one of species and named forms, and one of lost labels, and lots of flowers coming in both sets...
Also my S ciliosum, which was a local purchase in ( I think) 2008, is flowering for the first time, with seven flower stalks currently flowering, and I noticed two more small ones coming! It will be decimated, but it has many many offsets in a small space.. I'll post photos, but I want to put together a series ....

[RickR]

Your certainly have a nice form of Jobibarba allionii, Cohan.  This December pic shows the most color mine ever gets:

[cohan]

Your certainly have a nice form of Jobibarba allionii, Cohan.  This December pic shows the most color mine ever gets:

Thanks, Rick, its a fave for sure-staying tightly closed most of the year, such great form!  It's actually a clone with location data; at first I just thought it maintained its tight form and colour due to my chilly weather (which likely still is a factor, as it is with all the semps) but then I realised that in one of my no-name pots there seems to be another allioni, which is paler and looser..

[Lori S.]

This little thing is sort of a Sempervivum/Jovibarba ally, I suppose... Rosularia muratdaghensis.  (To give a sense of scale, the hairy thread-like things are seeds of Pulsatilla vulgaris and the plants next to it are Sedum acre.)  It is supposed to have hairy rosettes (which I suppose it does), and flowers on which the petals are partially fused into a tube (haven't seen it bloom yet).
 

Cohan, you were growing another Rosularia sp., I seem to recall.  Did it winter over?

[cohan]

That looks like a really nice one, Lori! I've seen this on seed lists, don't think I have the seed (I have a couple unsown..)

Yes, I have Rosularia (Prometheum) aizoon,  a small clump planted in a pot which has been sunk for winters, in 2009, and its doing great! Slowly expanding its clump of tiny rosettes, no flowers yet.. I may not have photographed it this year yet, if so can't find the shot right now.. I'll take one in the next few days..
Ironically, the piece I kept indoors for insurance has survived but barely, I'll put it outside as well...lol

Meanwhile, for Rick, here is that same Jovibarba allioni (that is, same form, not the same plant, necessarily, I have it in a few spots, all young clusters like this.. not quite as fast as the J globifera hirta I got at the same time) with better spring colour/form, from May 11; this file has the location data in the name..

[RickR]

Exquisite, Cohan!  If you ever get seed...
My allionii have never produced a flower yet, in the seven years I have grown them.

Lori, you grow Sedum acre... in the garden?  That, and S. sexangulare are unwelcome weeds here!  I do grow a variegated form of S. acre, but only in a trough where I can keep a close watch on it. 

Sempervivum flowers can be so similar, but they are so cute!

                    Sempervivum 'Bronco'