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  Re: [Aroid-l] To I.D. ANY Aroid.
From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 2007.07.29 at 19:05:39(16014)
Reply-To : Discussion of aroids
Sent : Wednesday, July 25, 2007 9:44 AM
To : Discussion of aroids
Subject : Re: [Aroid-l] Amydrium or Rhaphidophora

Dear Helmut,

Please allow me a moment to attempt to explain how a taxonomist may I.D. any
specimen sent to him.
In MOST cases, the plant specimen, or better yet a series of specimens (or
in rare cases a series of GOOD photos which MUST show an ADULT plant, and
infloresence, and should show close-ups of the spadix at male anthesis)
should be of a mature plant, and have several leaves in which the examiner
can look closely at both sides of the leaf blade, and the petiole, rhizome,
etc. The specimens MUST have good collecting data attached.
The genera in which you are interested (you list them below) are almost
impossible to I.D. to genus, far less to a species in a juvenile stage of
growth and without collecting data.
In the case of Anthurium, unless you can supply COLLECTION DATA it may be
impossible to ID a specimen even WITH an infloresence. This genus occurs
widely, from Mexico, through Cen. America and the West Indies and down
throughout South America to Uruguay, over 800 species, many undescribed,
plus there are MANY 'man-made' hybrids in cultivation, so without critical
collection data it is impossible for even the expert on the genus Anthurium,
who just happens to be Dr. Tom Croat, to give anything more then a qualified
guess based on just a photo.
My advice to you is to obtain collection data from any collections you may
visit, as without this the plants you see or even get cuttings of can NOT be
I.D.`d with any accuracy even to genus, as all juvenile vine-like Aroids
look very much alike. Take photos of their ADULT leaves, their petioles (
their length, amount/length of the sheath, shape in cross section, etc. etc.
etc.), their rhizomes, etc., and then grow them till they bloom. Cut a
portion of the spathe away and photograph the details of the sexual parts.
With the above information Dr. Thomas Croat and Mr. Pete Boyce, who happen
to be two of THE World experts on most Aroid genera, may be able to give you
an accurate identification of any aroid.
We on aroid-l are so fortunate to have Tom and Pete at 'our fingertips' to
give advice and to identify (when they can!) aroids from just a photo, or
sometimes just a written discription, but collection data is necessary,
otherwise an I.D. by ANYONE is just an educated guess.

(Thanks Tom and Pete!)

Good Growing and Best Regards,

Sincerely,

Julius Boos

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