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  Re: [Aroid-l] Pollinatrion in KY
From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 2007.07.13 at 09:22:10(15977)
Reply-To : Discussion of aroids
Sent : Friday, July 13, 2007 6:42 AM
To : "Discussion of aroids"
Subject : Re: [Aroid-l] Pollinatrion in KY

DEar Steve and Brian,

The pollen (and maybe residual nectar?) on Brian`s Anthurium spadix may
indeed just be providing a rich food source for the ants, they may not be
actually pollinating by transfering the pollen from one spadix to another.
In the genus Anthurium there are several species which produce MANY ripe
friut w/ viable seed with NO pollination (this is called being an
''apomictic" species), such as A. gracile shown in Plate #16 of Deni Bown`s
great Aroid book, so Steve`s A. schlechtendalii may also belong to this
select group.
Back in Trinidad, W. I., Anthurium gracile grows by the thousands in huge
masses on the thick horizontal limbs of the Samaan trees (think of the
largest live oak you have ever seen!), and when in fruit these masses of
green leaves w/ scarlet blankets literally covering the upper portions and
sides of these limbs is a sight to behold!
I did not finish my story on my Dad`s Anthuriums, we also had great numbers
of small Anolis lizards which ran freely up and down all over the spadices,
I always thought with their greater range of travel in a faster time that
THESE might have been the pollinators, but then again it might have been the
ants OR the fruit flys attracted by the sweet nectar!

Good Growing,

Julius

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