REGINAE-AMALIAE

Ex Halacsy, Consp. Fl. Greece. 1 : 580 (1901). This species only came into cultivation in the 1930’s when members of the Alpine Garden Society visited the Balken Peninsula on plant hunting expeditions, resulting in finds of abundant plant material of this species being collected in Greece and southern Albania. These collected forms with their stated geographical localities are recorded in the Quart. Bull. Alp. Gard. Soc. Vol. 8, page 203 (1940). Frequently the name S. reginae-amaliae is wrongly applied to a colourful dark-tipped form of Jovibarba heuffelii.  J.B. Baker in error used S. reginae-amaliae for J. heuffelii: Ref. Gard. Chron. 1877, ii, 230. Dr. Lloyd Praeger submerged S. reginae-amaliae Heldr. & Sarnthein ex Boissier under S. schlehanii Schott.

S. reginae-amaliae is a very variable species, particularly in its colouration, size and compactness of rosette. The floral characteristics of all the forms are very similar. The general features common to all forms are:  Rosettes 2 to 4 cm in diameter, usually dense-leaved and compact; stolons are short and few. Rosette leaves are thick, spathulate-obovate, acute, juvenile and adult leaves are always evenly puberulous on face and back with longer marginal cilia.

Flower-stems are 9 to 12 cm high, wide at the base, gradually narrowing to the top and clothed with overlapping ovate to oblong-ovate leaves which are usually flushed with rose to red. Inflorescence is 2 to 3 branched; petals have a clearly defined crimson median band with white margins; filaments are crimson, anthers buff, sometimes violet. Most of the forms are easy of culture but are rather slow in providing offsets.

S. reginae-amaliae from Kambeecho  Nr. 1.

Rosettes very fleshy, up to 5 cm in diameter, very few-leaved and of a dull green colour. Collected by E.K. Balls, nesr Denisko, Greek Epirus.

S. reginae-amaliae from Kambeecho Nr. 2.

A very attractive form with purple-leaved rosettes up to 5 cm in diameter and comprising of rather few fleshy leaves. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greek Epirus.

S. reginae-amaliae from Kiona.

Small grey-green rosettes not more than 2 cm in diameter, many-leaved and globular in habit. Collected by Dr. P.L. Giuseppi, Greece.

S. reginae-amaliae from Mavri Petri.

Grey-green rosettes 2,5 to 4 cm in diameter and usually open in habit. Collected by E.K. Balls, Denisko to Grammos, Greek Epirus.

S. reginae-amaliae from Peristeria.

Green rosettes about 3 cm in diameter, of looser appearance than the other forms, also rosette leaves narrower and more pointed. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greek Epirus.

S. reginae-amaliae from Sarpun.

A form with semi-globular, light green rosettes 2 to 2,5 cm in diameter. Collected by W.E.Th. Inwersen, Albania.

S. reginae-amaliae from Vardusa.

Small grey-green rosettes not more than 2,5 cm in diameter, many-leaved and flattish in habit. In the summer months the rosettes become tinted orange-brown, very attractive. Collected by E.K. Balls, Greece.

Permission to use this book for publication on ICNet is much appreciated.