Re: FW: Flowers Don't Make Food

From: eggon at guarany.cpd.unb.br (SNAME) on 1997.05.03 at 01:43:50(705) Dear NcNinch (sorry I don't know your first name) I have to agree with you. When aroids are the main subject, completely aclorophyllous inflorescences are rather an exception than a rule. Spathiphyllum blooms are usually whitish during the anthesis, but turn greenish once it is pollinated. Some say that is a way to protect the infructescente while it isn't ripe, but nobody can tell that it can't have photosynthetic activity and help with the production of fruits and seeds. The spathe of most Philodendron, Alocasia, Xanthosoma and Syngonium are greenish or strongly green after and before the anthesis. Some are green even during the anthesis, like those from Spathicarpa and some Anthurium. It is true that the spadix (that usually isn't green) holds the most part of the inflorescence's biomass but nobody can say that all aroid's blooms are sucking vampires, hungry for the sap of your helpless plants!!! Sunny afternoons... (like these here in Brazil) Eduardo. +More On Thu, 1 May 1997 newton@cin.net wrote: > > At 10:41 PM 4/30/97 -0500, George R Stilwell, Jr. wrote: > > >Enough already! Flowers don't make food usually. > > I have read these numerous messages concerning flowers or > inflourescences. There are a few blooms that have a greenish tint or > solid green coloration. What produces this color in these blooms, and if > it is one or more chlorophylls (say including type (a)), then what > function does it (chlorophyll) serve other than color if it is not > producing energy? Is it only a pigment? > > I always thought that even deep red blooms or leaves contain certain > amounts of green chlorophylls but are only masked by the abundance of > the carotenoid pigments. These carotenoids add to the absorbtion of > light energy and pass this along to the chlorophylls. > > Without a doubt, blooms are a drain on the resources of plants, a > sacrifice for the continuation of the species. However, I am not certain > that it is correct to assume that all blooms (inflouresences) do not > contribute to the creation of sugars with some miniscule photosynthesis. > > Comments from the professionals? > > Aching for spring to come... > T.L. McNinch, IAS > >

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