spanish giant!!

Now are we surprised that the Master of Identification has done it again. Well done, pete, for solving another foreign mystery.

I read where this species is also called the Waterwillow, grows to 8 foot tall and blooms in cold weather.

Here is it's relative, the Shrimp Plant, which has been in this little pot for 2 1/2 years outside.

 

At first I thought it looked a bit snapdragon like, hence my first thought as belonging to Scrophulariaceae.
But when nothing seemed to fit I did think of the shrimp plant and its similarities, no luck on the net, I looked in my copy of "Conservatory and Indoor plants" under acanthaceae, and there it was.

 

Well done Pete. Just seen your identification.

Whilst its not exactly related to this, I have just bought a Book on Salvias by Christian Froissart, a French botanist. Which is brilliant and an eye opener for me. He illustrates about 260 species, which are somewhat similar - all being Salvias. Even with the illustrations in the book, it would be very difficult to clearly identify many of these Salvias if you found them in a garden.

But for the first time (for me), he has added an identification key. He asks simple questions like do the stamen extend beyond the flower tube or not. According to the answer you go to another question, then another and another. Ultimately it takes you to either the unique specimen or a short list of no more than three species. You can then identify it by looking at those pages in the book.

I would love to see such a key for a wider range of plants. It always seems a bit hit and miss otherwise.

 

I agree Peter, there must be books such as yours on many types of plant I would think.
In your case you must first be sure that you are looking at a salvia.
Those kind of specialist books tend to be very expensive I think.

 

I have looked at several (normal priced) specialist books on a single genus, but have never seen a similar key. I have also made enquiries about general keys for identification, but nothing seems to be around. For instance the RHS doesn't appear to have anything like that in its library (the titles can be viewed online). I could only find one on the internet in USA, which I bought, which was based on wildflowers. It didn't have key questions, but did have descriptions of several selected families, and is good.

I think this work must be in the botanical departments of universities and just not available to the public. This particular book on Salvias at �£25 is little more than you would pay for a lot of gardening books. It just happens to have been written by a botanist rather than a gardening writer.

 

You have the key there Peter, writen by a botanist, far too many gardening writers just repeating what they have read elsewhere.
Your �£25 was well spent, but it only covers salvias, how many books would we need, to have a detailed account of most common plants.
It would be nice, but I think it would be a large book.

 

You are right about the botanist.

But I would still like to see a book, that needn't be too big, that could identify plants down to family. Once you have the family, you have a fighting chance of finding it in an encyclopedia. As you say to go below family, would be a huge job.

 

It would be nice, if you find one, or a website let me know.

 

I'm looking - I might be some time. :D

 

I have now put my plant outside ast the back of the border stil;l in it's pot as it is a bit big for my conservatory now - will have to cut it down in autumn before i bring it back inside .

Have taken a cutting just in case - anyone had any luck outside with this - It is in a sheltered corner but probably not hardy enough.