International Aroid Society

It is presumably related to the direction of the phyllotactic spiral of the whole shoot. =3BIt is perhaps the same phenomenon as the scars on the trunks of Philodendron Sect. Meconostigma=2C which are shaped either like =3Bfat '6's or fat 'd's.

>=3B Date: Tue=2C 25 Oct 2011 12:59:25 -0500
>=3B From: Thomas.Croat@mobot.org
>=3B To: aroid-l@www.gizmoworks.com
>=3B Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Chirality
>=3B
>=3B Dear Ted:
>=3B
>=3B I was once convinced that the direction of opening was important but a
>=3B big survey we did with the way leaves opened proved that this appears to
>=3B be perhaps totally at random.
>=3B
>=3B Tom
>=3B
>=3B -----Original Message-----
>=3B From: aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com
>=3B [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of Theodore Held
>=3B Sent: Monday=2C October 24=2C 2011 12:46 PM
>=3B To: Discussion of aroids
>=3B Subject: [Aroid-l] Chirality
>=3B
>=3B Dear List=2C
>=3B
>=3B Attached here (with luck) is a picture I made of a pair of blooms from
>=3B a Cryptocoryne griffithi (identity confirmed by Peter Boyce at the
>=3B recent IAS show). What's interesting to me is that the outer spathe
>=3B tip (called the flag for Crypts) of the plants twists to the left for
>=3B one and to the right for the other. These plants are vegetative kin.
>=3B
>=3B I have also seen the pairing of left-handed and right-handed
>=3B inflorescences on Cryptocoryne pontederifolia.
>=3B
>=3B Has anyone ever noticed mirror-image flower forms like this with any
>=3B other aroids? In chemistry differences involving only mirror images
>=3B are referred to as chiral isomers and originate with subtle
>=3B molecular-level geometry. In normal life this is called "handedness."
>=3B In a plant bloom=2C the differences may display as macroscopic
>=3B phenomena=2C but likely originate with early development=2C also perhaps
>=3B on a molecular level.
>=3B
>=3B Please enlighten me if anyone knows about this oddity.
>=3B
>=3B Ted Held.
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