Re: Synandrospadix vermitoxicus

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1998.09.12 at 18:58:10(2589) >>Since I am usually the one who initiates discussion of S. vermitoxicus on Aroid-L, I have held my tongue - electronically speacking - for a couple of days to give others the chance to respond. Alas, no one has, so I feel compelled to post something. .. I've tried several times to get more information about the temperature and climate extremes in its native range, without much success. I've never gotten seeds from my plant, and would like to very much because I want some additional plants. I did put one offset outside for the winter a couple of years ago, but results were inconclusive, because I got impatient and started looking for it, and the tuber suffered serious shovel blight during the exploration. (It was intact - i.e., not rotted, and seemed healthy - but had not started growth even though it was 60 days later than when the plant in the greenhouse had put up leaves. Or rather it was apparently intact before I started poking around.) I'd certainly be interested in any information you have about the habitat, especially the temperature ranges at the extremes. Steve +More -- Steve Marak -- samarak@arachne.uark.edu<< << Dear Steve, I enjoyed your post, and even though I do not grow this species, I am responding to your final para. concerning temp. ranges. Many years ago I worked for a short time on the plains of S. W. Bolivia., close to the mountains, near a small village called Sunchal; it was on the train line to Argentina, as far as I can remember about 25 kms N. of the border. Apart from a couple of oil rigs, their main "industry" was producing rail-road ties from the surrounding jungle (this looked like a northern Florida oak-type forest), and making charcoal with the left over branches, etc. Very poor people, who worked for the main land owner/job producer, and were beholden to him for everything, including potable water from his well, which he kept fenced in, and opened the gate when they cleaned up the area or did various chores. Sad. I was there during their winter, and though the days were warm and generally sunny, the nights were COLD, down to almost or at freezing! Lynn hannon`s post says her plant was collected at 5000' plus, so it probably gets cold as heck up there! Hope that this is of help, and good luck. Cheers, Julius ju-bo@msn.com

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