IAS Aroid Quasi Forum

About Aroid-L
 This is a continuously updated archive of the Aroid-L mailing list in a forum format - not an actual Forum. If you want to post, you will still need to register for the Aroid-L mailing list and send your postings by e-mail for moderation in the normal way.

  amorphophallus pollen collection & storage
From: "michael mahan" <agavestar at covad.net> on 2004.12.11 at 02:32:46(12462)
What would the best way to prepare/process pollen for storage?
& what is the best way to collect that same pollen ? I have a nova species from
Madagascar,Mahajanga that is blooming with the flower beginning to unfurl ,it’s
about 6 foot tall . I also have three more tubers of the same species
that are just now pushing new growth .i want to save some pollen so that if the
other tubers are pushing up a flower I can try my hand at pollination . I would
also be willing to share some pollen .I could use some pollen if anyone were to
have a flower &/OR pollen ,more than willing to share any seed that might
come of this endeavor .I’ve read the pages on collection on this site but
the links don’t work that have the exact way to do it …Mike Mahan

+More
From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 2004.12.11 at 14:53:39(12464)
>From: "michael mahan" <agavestar@covad.net>
>Reply-To: Discussion of aroids <aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>
>To: <aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>
>Subject: [Aroid-l] amorphophallus pollen collection & storage
>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 18:32:46 -0800
Dear Mike,

is a wonderful article on the storage of aroid pollen, your best bet is to
collect the pollen with a brush when the bloom extrudes it, this will occur
after the bloom opens, as the sequence is female anthesis, THEN male
antheses. It will be very visible, yellow powder or strands extruding
from the middle or upper regions of the spadix. Since this bloom probably
will not set seed, you may want to sacrifice it by cutting away 50% or more
of the spatrhe to the base so as to have better sight of the spadix`s entire
length, you will then be able to see the different regions and know for
certain the anatomy of that particular species, it will make the pollen
collection easier, just attach a paper 'collor' to catch any falling pollen,
remove same w/ a paint brush, you may need to moisten the brush w/ sterile
water which may make collection easier, it will depend on the texture of
that particular pollen. I BELIEVE that the article said to store the
collected pollen in a clean glass vial, so maybe a packet of saran wrap put
INSIDE a glass jar (to protect from freezer burn) might do, but I`d also try
storing a portion in the regular fridge compartment of my refrigerator,
another portion in the freezer, especially since you are fairly close to
having another bloom opening with which to work. (just in case, try
self-pollinating the original bloom, you MIGHT get lucky and get some
fruit!) The pollen must be applied to the lowest portion of the spadix
which is where the female flowers are located as soon as the bkloom begins
to open. I`d then wrap the entire bloom in saran wrap to preserve high
humidity, just leave a tiny opening at the top for the tissues/bloom to
'breathe'. Keep it out of direct sun light, remove the saran after about
a week, if the entire bloom does not wilt and drop (it is normal for the
upper male portion of the spadix to dry/rot and fall off leaving the lowest
portion (femele) to develop fruit), you might be lucky, you will see the
female flowers developing, getting larger as the fruit form. In several
months these fruit will be ripe, change color, and fall off.
This should be a lesson to all you 'lurkers' out there to bite the bullet
and join IAS, the mags and newsletters, meetings, friends are worth their
weight in gold to a true aroid lover!
Good luck,
Julius

+More
From: "Greg Dorst" <gregg1- at charter.net> on 2004.12.11 at 14:59:22(12465)
Michael I have one that is also flowering and has
not produced any pollen yet. If I can help let me know.

----- Original Message -----

+More
From: "michael mahan" <agavestar at covad.net> on 2004.12.13 at 07:44:06(12466)
Yes u can help!! how far along is
your flower?mine is unfurling right now! I have no idea how long it will take
!! & when the flower will receptive to pollen plz email me at my address
agavestar@covad.com .plz send the pollen asap as when u see it & I’ll
do the same I will send express mail next day if I have to !! plz do the same I’M
good for the cost .my flower is just now showing the spadix & the spathe is
not fully open ..the spadix is dusty lite purple color right now ..I can only
see about 2 inches of it ,will send pix as soon as I get your email address THANX
Mike

+More
From: "michael mahan" <agavestar at covad.net> on 2004.12.19 at 02:02:05(12473)
OK Thanx for everyone's advice on this !! you all have been a real help !
here's the story the Madagascar nova bloomed took all kinds of photos ...i
had over watered it, rookie mistake & just as it was putting out a smell
disaster..the stem broke at the soil level the bloom hit the greenhouse
floor {had taken up too much water ??} ,the stem still had about 1/3 to a
1/4 total of skin tissue still attached so I let it be . just cut the spathe
to take more photos ... 3 days pass & then smell returns, my hopes return
too!!! .was stinky for 2 more days .suddenly the smell stops this morning
looked at it no pollen ,checked it agin at 5:00pm pollen all over the male
parts ..cut the bloom off too make it easy to move to the house.then cut the
spadix off at where it attaches to the spathe ,some pollen falls on spathe
.holding the spadix I just tapped it to let the pollen fall on a sheet of
new clean copy paper .it all falls of easily turned the spathe over & do the
same agin .collected all into 4 bindles made of same copy paper ,wrapped in
tin foil & then into a clean small jar into the refer they all go will put
some in to the freezer tomorrow to allow the paper to absorb the h2o I
have 3 more bulbs pushing stems not sure if all will bloom ..am into
sharing ... Mike Mahan , Novato Ca plz email me at agavestar@covad.net

+More
From: "michael mahan" <agavestar at covad.net> on 2004.12.19 at 02:06:21(12474)
I am going to join the IAS this month ,I was just waiting for the year end
,this advice IS worth gold .looking forward to my membership THANX AGIN
for everyone help Mike Mahan Novato,Ca

+More
Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.