Species concepts follow Masamune, Yeo, and B. Matthew. This key adds common cultivars and lesser known species now more common in cultivation. Many of the better, popular cultivars have been extensively used in hybridization. The cultivar level identifications possible here are only for assignment of general affinity and not specific labeling for the commercial trade.

In terms of identifying or evaluating complex hybrids I recommend that plants be sent to a Tricyrtis collector (of which there are many now) for comparison. There has been considerable renaming and translating of cultivar names so determination of synonyms or close affinities is a valuable exercise.

1. Floral segment with a pink, purple , or white base color....2
1. Floral segment with a yellow to cream base color....30

2. Flowers 1.5-2.0 cm long - Floral segments strongly divergent (spreading) or reflexed....3
2. Flowers 2.0-3.0 cm long - Floral segments slightly divergent (spreading) or not...10

3. Flowers in axillary or terminal cymes - Floral segments always reflexed....4
3. Flowers mostly solitary or in small clusters - Flora segments divergent (spreading) but not reflexed...7

4. Flowers borne above foliage - Cymes much branched and loosely clustered....LESS COMMON...5
(Nepal, Burma native)
4. Flowers borne among foliage - Cymes little branched and compact...VERY COMMON... 6
(Japan, China native)

NOTE: The distinctions between these two choices (species) is sometimes doubtful though they have different geographical origins.

5. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis maculata

6. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis macropoda

7. Leaves green...9
7. Leaves striped pink to cream...8

8. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis affinis 'Tricolor'

9. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis affinis

10. Plants sparsely pubescent - Leaves usually glossy dark green - Habit spreading, stoloniferous....20
10. Plants densely pubescent - Leaves dull light green - Habit usually dense, tufted....12

NOTE: Hybrids between species of these two groups are reported (ie. T. hirta x T. formosana) and in the US nursery time.

12. Flowers pure white and unspotted...13
12. Flowers white to pink or lilac with crimson red spots...14
12. Flowers white with purple or dark red spots...15

13. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis hirta 'Alba', 'White Towers' and other selections.

14. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki' and other selections and hybrids of it.

15. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis hirta and selections such as 'Sinonome'. There are variegated clones such as 'Albo marginata' with white edges. 'Golden Gleam' has bright golden foliage.

20. Leaves green - not variegated...21
20. Leaves margined white....22
20. Leaves golden or yellow.....23

21. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis formosana (Tricyrtis stolonifera) and numerous selection. 'Seiryu' (Hatatogisa') and 'Amethystina' are more intensely colored. There are numerous other selections. Some plant cultivated as 'Amethystina' are referral to T. lasiocarpa of Taiwan.

22. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis formosana 'Samurai' and several other hybrids

23. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis formosana 'Gates of Heaven' and similar clones

30. Stems arching and pendulous - Floral segments never mucronate - Leaves cordate....VERY COMMON... 31
30. Stems arching and pendulous - Floral segments never mucronate - Leaves perfoliate...LESS COMMON...35
30. Stems erect and upright - Floral segments mucronate in bud - Leaves various...VERY COMMON...40

31. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis macrantha

NOTE: Subsp. macranthopsis is less hairy and as cultivated is more trailing, even pendulous with yellow flowers spotted in burgundy.

35. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis perfoliata

40. Flowers 2-5 in cymes....41
40. Flowers solitary (1) or occasionally 2 per axil....45

41. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis latifolia

45. Plants dwarf with stems 5.0-15.0 cm tall - Floral stalk much shorter than flower.....RARE...46
45. Plants erect with stems 20.0-50.0 cm tall - Floral talk longer than or near equal to flower....VERY COMMON...50

46. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis nana

50. Floral segments 2.5 cm long with apical bristle 3-4mm long - Anthers 2.5-3.0mm long....51
50. Floral segments 2.5-3.5 cm long with apical bristle 2mm long - Anthers 4.0mm long...52

NOTE: Both choices lead to subsp. of T. flava.

51. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis flava subsp. flava

52. POSSIBLE ID=Tricyrtis flava subsp. ohsumiensis

Copyright 2000. Laurence C. Hatch. All Rights Reserved
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