From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2010.06.16 at 19:53:38(21110)
I am again doing some digging as a result of an
ongoing
discussion
with a group of growers. It is the opinion of some that aroids can be
induced to generate a totally new plant by placing growth hormone on
the petiole of a leaf. I have read all I can find and do not believe
this information to be accurate.
From
the
text of The Genera of Araceae it appears the only two aroids
that are capable of the
regeneration of a new plant from a leaf are Zamioculcas zamiifolia
and Gonotapus boivinii. This unique ability is the result of a
bulblet being formed at the juncture of the blade and the petiole and
appears to happen as a survival form during hostile seasons of the year.
From TGOA: "Regeneration of tubers, leaves and roots from leaf
segments is well known in Zamioculcas zamiifolia and Gonotapus boivinii
(Engler 1881, Schubert 1913, Cutter 1962). Isolated entire leaflets of
Zamioculcas and Gonotapus spontaneously develop a basal swelling,
followed by the formation of roots and up to 3 buds, over a 6-9 week
period for Zamioculcas. Leaf regeneration in Gonotapus is more rapid.
The results of experimental manipulation of isolated leaflets grown in
culture show that any part of the compound leaf is capable of
regeneration".
One gentleman appears to be insisting any of the other four Gonotapus
species is capable of the same thing. I have read and reread the
section in
TGOA on this subject and there is a mention of a few other aroids that
produce bulblets at the juncture of the leaf and petiole but other Gonotapus
are not mentioned. More from TGOA:
"Leaf tubercles and regeneration. Tubercles regularly develop at
the juncture of leaflet and petiole in Pinellia fernata (Hansen 1881,
Linsbauer 1934, Troll 1939) at the apical end of petiole in Typhonium
bulbiferum (Sriboonma et al. 1994) and at the first and second order
divisions of the leaf of Amorphophallus bulbifer (Troll 1939).
Tubercles in Pinella may also form spontaneously along the petioles or
can be induced at the basal part by cutting into segments (Linsbauer
1934) Tubercles may develop in Typhonium violifolium at the leaf
apex, pale apex and the apex of this sheath (sriboonma et al, 1994)."
Do any of the other four species of Gonotapus
actually do leaf
regeneration? And if not, can any of our scientists give me a source
of documentation as
to why leaf regeneration does not happen in aroids? If any grower has
obsserved this behavior, can you document it?
I am not trying to "win an argument, I just want to make sure I
understand this growth form as it relates to aroids.
Thanks,
Steve
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