International Aroid Society

Dear Steve,

=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 I think youwill find Polly’s picture on AgriStarts website.=A0 They grow a widevariety of Alocasias.=A0=A0 John.

From: aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com[mailto:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com] OnBehalf Of ExoticRainforest
Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 20091:20 PM
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: [Aroid-l] AlocasiaAmazonica versus Alocasia Polly

I need good photos of the plant sold as Alocasia Polly. Notanything with a tag that says Alocasia Amazonica but specifically AlocasiaPolly. I think we're closer to figuring this out.

Andr=E9 appears to havewritten in 1891 in Review Hortic about an an Alocasia hybrid between Alocasia sanderiana and Alocasia lowii. Alocasia lowii is now correctly Alocasia longiloba. Those parentswere later ascribed to Alocasia Amazonica in error since the parents of thatplant are Alocasia sanderiana x Alocasia watsoniana. As far as I cantell Andr=E9 referred to the plant as "mortefontanensis".

It is beginning to look like Andr=E9's mortefontanensis had the same parents asthe plant sold as Alocasia Polly. If that is true then Andr=E9's plant is not thesame hybrid as Salvadore Mauro's plant bred at his Amazon Nursery in Miami. That would lead meto believe that Alocasia Polly and Alocasia Amazonica should not be confused asthe same plant.

It also appears some unidentified researcher elected to call Andr=E9's mortefontanensisAlocasia x amazonica due to the popularity of the hybrid plant with growerswhen in fact it should still be called Alocasia x mortefontanensis or somethingon that order.

It makes no sense for a well known European hybrid which I have now been toldhas been grown since the late 1800's or early 1900's to be called Alocasia xamazonica when the reason for the use of the name "Amazonica" isobvious due to the name of Salvadore Mauro's nursery.

Steve
www.ExoticRainforest.com