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  RE: Tacca questions (off topic??)
From: StroWi at t-online.de (StroWi) on 2002.05.27 at 02:58:13(8885)
> ........

> Thus endeth this sunday lecture for all you to enjoy (or delete.........).

>

> Lord P.

Dear Lord P.,

I did NOT delete it and (mostly ;-)) enjoy our Lord's contributions and I have further questions.

I grow a Tacca chantrieri since a few weeks ago. Here in Germany these plants are seen now and then in good garden centres and sold for remarkable prices, around 40 Euro/US$. However, when the inflorescens starts to wilt and is cut, the plant looks like a huge boring Spathiphyllum (excuse me Ron ;-) and is often sold for 1/2 or 1/4 of the former price.

The plants marketed here in Germany by www.Tacca.de are cloned in vitro since no seeds set was reached so far (as far as I know...). It is said that the donor plant is male sterile, however, I do not have any proof of this.

Is male strelility known in Tacca (chantrieri) or could it be a self incompatibility mechanism as well?

Speaking against the latter is the observation of a list member whose single T. chantrieri sets seed (or does the neighbour grow a different genotype???) However, the seeds I got did not germinate yet after months; but that seems to be a pain in the ...(O.K. some where further down) with Tacca germination anyway.

My second question regarding Tacca spec. is, if they can be traded as bare root tubers/rhizomes or if they are? If this is possible, would anyone know a source?

And last but not least, which Tacca spec. are edible? This, of course, aims at the question of the common name and the availibility in asian food stores.

Any comment most welcome!

Bernhard.

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