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  Re: flowering 'juvenilies'
From: Jody Haynes webmaster at plantapalm.com> on 2000.06.17 at 00:49:40(4806)
Eduardo,
Yours was an interesting post. I, too, have some knowledge (and an astute
interest) of paedomorphosis and neoteny--but only in animals. I was not
aware of
the process in plants.

I feel that these terms should be clarified. Although they both refer to the
"possession in the adult stage of features typical of the juvenile stage of the
organism's ancestor", neoteny specifically refers to sexual maturation of the
'juvenile' stage: "heterochronic evolution whereby development of some or all
somatic features is retarded relative to sexual maturation, resulting in
sexually mature individuals with juvenile features" (Futuyma, D. J. 1986.
Evolutionary Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, MA.).

Thus, paedomorphosis refers to the simple possession of juvenile traits in an
adult organism, but does not specify a process; conversely, neoteny is the
process by which somatic maturation is retarded relative to sexual maturation.

Does this make sense? Anyone else care to comment on this interesting topic?
Jody

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