[Aroid-l] Supervolute vernation. Finally a photo!

From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2010.01.13 at 21:02:44 There are several types of leaf vernation when a new leaf firstemerges. Vernation is simply the way a new leaf blade is rolled orfolded as it begins to emerge from the cataphyll. Although there are several forms of vernation in aroids the most commontype is known as convolute vernation which describes the edges of anewly unfurling leaf blade which have both margins (edges) curledinward wrapping around each other. This is observed when the new bladeemerges from the cataphyll and the wrapping of one margin is rolledover the other. The mechanism makes the emerging leaf present itself asa tube. The second is known as involute vernation and is observed when a newlydeveloping leaf emerges from the cataphyll when both margins (edges) onopposing sides of the leaf blade are rolled forming two inward facingtubes that meet at the midrib of the leaf. This type is not as commonas convolute vernation. The least common is known as supervolute vernation. I have been workingfor weeks to complete an article for the next issue of Aroideana (thejournal of the International Aroid Society) to be published in August.That article attempts to make many of the terms used in scientificliterature easy for a collector to understand and use. One of the mostdifficult definitions to write was the one for supervolute vernationsince a definition did not exist in any of the scientific texts orjournals I own. I couldn't even find a definition on the internet andthe definition I found on the internet for "supervolute" was impossibleto understand. Look it up and see if you can figure out what they aretrying to say! Finally my friend Leland Miyano sent a photo of a newly emerging leafof Anthurium hookeri and the definition Dr. Tom Croat helpedto clarify suddenly became crystal clear. Until I received this photo Ihad no real idea what supervolute vernation really meant. supervolute vernation Possessing a convolute arrangement in the folding or arrangement of anewly emerging leaf blade with one margin (edge) of the newly bladeemerging rolled inward toward the midrib and the opposite margin rolledaround the midrib as well as the remainder of the leaf in a mannersimilar to the coiled whorl at the end of a conch shell. My thanks to Leland for the photo! If you believe you are growing Anthurium hookeri you may wantto look at this page!  I have been trying to find a specimen for yearsand so far have never been able to buy one since all the plantsavailable for sale are not the species but instead are a hybrid.  If the plant doesn't have scalariforme (ladder-like) vernation,glandular punctates (tiny black spots) on the back of the leaf, andproduces white berries on an inflorescence instead of the read oneseveryone believes the species should produce it isn't the real Anthuriumhookeri. http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Anthurium%20hookeri%20pc.html Steve www.ExoticRainforest.com --------------020801000305060308000408

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