Germinating Dracontium

From: Wilbert Hetterscheid <hetter at vkc.nl> on 1999.03.15 at 15:14:41(3110) Aroid-ellers, Anyone with any experience in germinating Dracontium seeds? Doesn't seem to be an easy job. I have a bunch of very lazy seeds of Dr. ulei. Cheers, Wilbert

From: Betsytrips at aol.com on 1999.03.15 at 17:04:55(3111) Wilbert, I have never had trouble with Dracontium seed even if they were very early. I put them onto standard potting soil in a covered container and put them under the lights. They have always grown fairly quickly. Hope it works for you. Betsy

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1999.03.15 at 22:50:55(3112) >Aroid-ellers, Anyone with any experience in germinating Dracontium seeds? Doesn't seem to be an easy job. I have a bunch of very lazy seeds of Dr. ulei. Cheers, Wilbert< +More Dear Wilbert, I have had NO sucess with germinatuing any Dracontium seed. Have tried with D asperum (a 'floater') D. polyphyllum (a 'sinker') and a few other species, none ever did anything for me. The one person a few years ago who told me they had germinated this genus corrected himself as he was 'germinating' the bulbils, NOT seed. Joep Moonen in Fr. Guiana says he routienly germinates D. polyphyllum seed, and I will confirm this when next I contact him. Lasioid seed can be very 'lazy', and germinate months later when you have given up hope, this happened recently with both Urospatha and Anaphyllopsis seed for me and friends. Cheers, Julius

From: eggon <eggon at guarany.cpd.unb.br> on 1999.03.17 at 18:17:14(3115) Dear Wilbert, Dracontium isnt easy to germinate, even in a tropical collection like mine. Don't be so sad, because I have seeds of D. bogneri that I sowed in March 1997 and they are still sleeping! In fact, they seem quite healthy, but no life sign. I think they need constant heat, because they only occurr here in Brazil in lowlands, where the heat is quite constant all over the year. In Brasilia, were my collection is placed, we have 5 months that are cold and dry, so I think it stops their metabolism. Light doesn't seem to work also, because mine are in a very illuminated place, with 40% sunlight during all morning. What about pray... +More Cheers, Eduardo. Wilbert Hetterscheid wrote: > > Aroid-ellers, > > Anyone with any experience in germinating Dracontium seeds? Doesn't seem > to be an easy job. I have a bunch of very lazy seeds of Dr. ulei. > > Cheers, > Wilbert

From: alistair_hay at rbgsyd.gov.au on 1999.03.19 at 00:30:02(3116) May be worth chipping the testa of a few seeds Alistair +More ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Re: Germinating Dracontium Author: at mailgate Date: 17/3/99 12:22 Dear Wilbert, Dracontium isnt easy to germinate, even in a tropical collection like mine. Don't be so sad, because I have seeds of D. bogneri that I sowed in March 1997 and they are still sleeping! In fact, they seem quite healthy, but no life sign. I think they need constant heat, because they only occurr here in Brazil in lowlands, where the heat is quite constant all over the year. In Brasilia, were my collection is placed, we have 5 months that are cold and dry, so I think it stops their metabolism. Light doesn't seem to work also, because mine are in a very illuminated place, with 40% sunlight during all morning. What about pray... Cheers, Eduardo. Wilbert Hetterscheid wrote: > > Aroid-ellers, > > Anyone with any experience in germinating Dracontium seeds? Doesn't seem > to be an easy job. I have a bunch of very lazy seeds of Dr. ulei. > > Cheers, > Wilbert

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1999.03.19 at 13:12:37(3121) Subject: Re: Germinating Dracontium Dear Aroidophiles and especially Wilbert, Betsy has kindly given her permission to post her letter to me (below) on the 'L'. +More This is the only report of sucessful germination of Dracontium seed that I know of at this time, and is important as MANY attempts have been made, and none germinated as far as I am aware. I have tried several times, on damp and wet sand, in wet and damp sphagnum, etc., with no results. Dr. Hay`s suggestion of 'scaring' the testa might work, as perhaps the fruit are swallowed by birds or mammals whose stomach acids may weaken the hard testa, but in most other seed of this group, the seedling emerges from a hole in the seed`s very hard testa, so the testa does not need to split. This is presently occuring in a group of Anaphyllopsis americana seed, a close 'cousin' to the genus Dracontium, which are germinating for me. Good growing--- Julius. >Julius, I have collected seed several times in the wild and never had a bit of trouble germinating them. Just as I said, potting soil, warmth, and in a few months or weeks, I had plants. Really never lost any that I collected. Often had more than I knew what to do with. I guess, perhaps, because I was too naive to know that I should not be able to do this, it worked. This has happened often for me. In fact, I have found very green seed and thought there was no hope and they too did beautifully. I clean the seeds, put in paper towels until I got home, and then planted on top of the potting soil when I got a chance within a week or two of getting home. Kept them covered with Saran wrap to keep from drying out. No problem. Betsy<

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