Amorphophallus leaf cuttings

From: "Peter Boyce" <P.Boyce at lion.rbgkew.org.uk> on 1997.12.03 at 14:12:24(1693) Dear Dewey I've never done leaf cuttings of Amorphophallus but from what I know about the physiology of other plants' leaves I can hazard a guess at what's happening. However, what follows apropos Amorphophallus is mostly supposition. Any mass of plant tissue is, in it's basic form (cells), capable of proliferating into more masses plant tissue. These undifferentiated masses can be 'influenced' to grow into new plants. When a leaf curring is taken of, say, a Begonia or Streptocarpus, the propagules that form began as tiny masses of undifferentiated cells that arose as a result of trauma along the cut surfaces. It seems that these cell masses are sensitive to various external factors (light, gravity) and these factors act upon them, 'programmimg' the cells in a particular region to favour a particular developmental sequence (those nearer light form shoots, those 'nearer' gravity (i.e. those on the lower side) form roots. If these factors are altered by for example, putting the cell masses into a situation where light and gravity act on all sides simultaneously (by continually rotating the material) the cell masses remain undifferenitated and grow into amorphophous masses. These masses can be continually redivided, producing thousands of individual groups which, when returned to a stable environment, will develop into plantlets.This forms the basis of commercial cell culture techniques. The ability of some Amorphophallus to produce tuberlets on the leaves suggests a, possibly hereditry, predisposition to produce propagules. In taking leaf cuttings it's possible that even in species that don't naturally produce bulbils, the cutting of the tissue triggers the cells to differentiate and from tuberlets. Similar things occurs when you scale lillies, cross-hatch corms of gladiolous and crocus, remove leaves of Zamioculcas, Gonatopus and Pinellia, etc. Hope this has helped and not further muddied the waters. Pete +More ---------------------------- Peter Boyce Herbarium Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 3AE U.K. Tel. + 44 - (0)181 332 5207 Fax. + 44 - (0)181 332 5298 email. p.boyce@lion.rbgkew.org.uk

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