IAS Aroid Quasi Forum

About Aroid-L
 This is a continuously updated archive of the Aroid-L mailing list in a forum format - not an actual Forum. If you want to post, you will still need to register for the Aroid-L mailing list and send your postings by e-mail for moderation in the normal way.

  Raphides ('stinging cells') in Aroids.
From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2002.07.15 at 00:59:24(9108)
Dear Fellow Aroiders,

I am directing this note mainly to researchers who may have knowledge on the
mechanism of the raphides said to occur as a protective ( ? ) device in
Aroids, perhaps some of the European members may have some information that
they may post to this list??
The 'story' is as follows---there are illus. in Deni Bown`s books on Aroids
pg. 279 in the second edition) showing what are said to be the specialized
structures called 'idioblasts' that 'expel the raphides that harm tissue
when any Dieffenbachia and some of the other aroid genera) are damaged.
This illus. is based on photos published in an old issues Aroideana
(Middendorf, E. 1982. The remarkable shooting idioblasts. Aroideana 6 (1):
9-11.). The problem is that with a good microscope Ted Held

+More
Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.