Cycas Taitungensis
Welcome to ChumleyCycads, a Website where we specialize in offering artificially propagated cycads. As you may know, all Cycads are endangered species and thus are regulated by the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, commonly referred
to as CITIES. If
you want to own a cycad or a whole collection of Cycads, you are in excellent company. The kings
of ancient Persia and the famous Hanging Gardens of the city of Babylon were known to have an impressively large collection of Cycads undoubtedly brought from India, Madagascar, and South Africa.
More About Chumley Cycads
Most of the plants offered for sale are grown from seed, either imported or produced in our own seed colonies, located here on the Chumley estate. In addition, I occasionally remove basal offsets from older plants, perform hybridizations, and attempt to make available to those who covet them , the most difficult to obtain, mutations such as plants with variegated leaves, plants with monstrous leaves, or plants with cristate
leaves.
Please enjoy browsing through our web site looking over our many species and if there are further questions, don't hesitate to ask.
If you have any special request for a particular plant please feel free to contact me by Email or phone.
Meconostigma Philodendron
(Chumley Miniature Selloum)
"The only one of it's kind", came to this country from the jungles of South America during the first half of the twentieth century.
For further information on this, please read the chronological and historical data found in this article.
It is a very dark green beautiful split leafed philodendron, with possibly two or more major differences. The leaves all curl under at the edges, making it appear as though the leaf blades are not full size. The other differences or attributes, are, the plant is much more cold tolerant than the common 'selloum', even surviving the recent sub-freezing temperatures of the first two weeks of January, 2010 where it withstood long duration into the early twenties F. The third, is the dark green, seemingly evergreen,
color that it exhibits.
A search for this particular plant has been requested by horticultural experts into the country of Uruguay to confirm this plant's existence, but sadly, it may be extinct in the wilds. Experts are still examining this plant to determine exactly what it is. They have remarked "it may be a new species." "However, all of this research takes time," they say.
I seeded the 'Chumley Miniature selloum' in May of 2009 (evidently for the first time ever) and, distributed seedlings to all the experts to study the plant. I will seed the philodendron again in May, 2010, and hopefully, some will be available soon at this web site. I will keep you posted.
Chronological and Historical Research
This is an accurate attempt of chronological and historical research of the plant photographed evidently for the first time in history, and dubbed with the name of "miniature selloum" by Alfred B. graf supposedly in 1957 at Cowgill's Plantation near Tampa, Florida. Plant Photograph Pg. 188......an early photograph Pg. 182... showing 'Monstera Deliciosa, from early plantings by Jessuit
missionaries, climbing
on Bald Cypress trees(Taxodium) hung with 'Spanish moss' (Tillandsia usneoides). The stems, clinging close to the bark, have withstood 19 degrees F.cold,here at Cowgill's Plantation near Tampa, on the Gulf coast of Florida. (caption from the book, Pictorial Cyclopedia of Exotic Plants by A. B. Graf series 3, edition 9, 1957...Library of Congress Catalog Card #72-90669
During the mid 1930's, Carl F. Cowgill (1896-1973) and Jack O. Holmes (1902-1968) of Holmes' Nurseries, Tampa, Florida, traveled, as was their custom, to Uraguay and Paraguay, South America to collect seed (and plants) for importation for their respective nurseries in Florida.On one trip , a solitary plant was noticed to be of an unusual form, high on a mountain, (no location given) and was subsequently collected and imported (with other aroid specimens
from other unspecified locations) and imported to Florida.
This was considered by them to be a mutated or bazaar form of "P. Selloum". The plant (and other specimen aroids) collected on South American trips were incorporated in Carl Cowgill's private collecton. These were rarely shown to touring collectors or individual's as they were located in an old 'glass greenhouse' inundated by many weeds and not regularly maintained for many years. " To my knowledge the "special selloum" was never pollinated and never produced seeds."
The plant was virtually forgotten by all (except myself) and on one occasion in the early 1960's, while moving plants to a different nursery relocaton, I asked for a back cutting of the "special selloum" as a special favor from Mr. Cowgill, as I "dearly loved the plant" and wanted to preserve it (as it was doing poorly and was neglected} He granted me the favor and I took it home. I think during the preceeding years his plant was either lost or died due to neglect. This plant, under my care
went through many severe freezes down thru the years. In 1962, it endured 15 hours below 30 degrees. I remember the water in the bromeliads was frozen solid.Then again in 1977, 1982, and a severe two day major freeze in 1988 dropping to seventeen degrees both days with ice everywhere. " I never forgot this "dearly loved plant" and the special history it endured down through the years, even though it was moved around Tampa many times, and went through severe weather conditions, and special care
was
provided against theft from unscrupulous
people desiring to covet it.....I protected it, knowing I had to share this beautiful, unusual plant with the world."
Robert Chumley
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WHAT'S NEW AT CHUMLEY CYCADS?
Something exciting! A new look for my web site, also a blog about a new, undescribed and very unique philodendron which started out in the possession of this author since the early sixties. No, it hasn't been named, but is called the 'Chumley Miniature selloum' for identification only. Click here to read more.
Phone: 813.478.6697
Email: Robert Chumley
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