More Synandrospadix

From: Dan Levin levin at pixar.com> on 2001.05.30 at 13:32:16(6605) I was also fortunate to receive 3 seeds of Synandrospadix vermitoxicus last November, compliments of the magnanimous Alan Galloway. Having recalled some brief comments Julius Boos posted over a year ago on the germination of this species*, I performed a small experiment: - All 3 seeds were sown into the same well wetted mix; 1 per 4" (10 cm) pot. - All 3 pots were placed atop a gro-mat, thermostat set to 80? F / 23? C. - One pot was covered with an inverted Zip-Loc baggie (not sealed) to maintain moisture/humidity, the other 2 were left exposed- their soil kept "barely damp". - Within 3 weeks, the one covered seed germinated. No activity in the other pots. - After development of the first leaf, I re-soaked all 3 pots then repositioned the baggie onto the adjacent (dormant) potted seed. - Just over 3 weeks later, THAT seed sprouted. And in case you didn't already guess, I later repeated this procedure one last time with the exact same results on the 3rd seed- giving 100% germination. --- Sooo... Notwithstanding Julius' recent comments about delayed germination & survival strategies (which make perfect sense), I'm nonetheless led to believe this species requires constant moisture and heat in order to germinate. Perhaps those lengthy or otherwise erratic results others have experienced can be traced to local environmental conditions finally being "right" (warm + moist) for sufficient time to finally induce germination. Or... perhaps my bouncing baggie game was mere coincidence (?). Next time anyone makes/receives seed of this plant, it would be neat if you could try this for yourself and let us know your results! Respectfully submitted, -Dan Levin +More * ("Synandrospadix success." April 15, 2000)

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.05.31 at 01:18:22(6630) Thanks for letting us know of your sucess, Dan! I guess the poor seeds just sit around in other folk`s pots waiting for the correct amount of humidity and wetness, etc., and some germinate while others don`t! This must be much like in their 'natural' harsh habitat, while your method must provide the near-to-perfect set of conditions that they must require for germination! Good growing! Julius +More >>I was also fortunate to receive 3 seeds of Synandrospadix vermitoxicus last November, compliments of the magnanimous Alan Galloway. Having recalled some brief comments Julius Boos posted over a year ago on the germination of this species*, I performed a small experiment: - All 3 seeds were sown into the same well wetted mix; 1 per 4" (10 cm) pot. - All 3 pots were placed atop a gro-mat, thermostat set to 80? F / 23? C. - One pot was covered with an inverted Zip-Loc baggie (not sealed) to maintain moisture/humidity, the other 2 were left exposed- their soil kept "barely damp". - Within 3 weeks, the one covered seed germinated. No activity in the other pots. - After development of the first leaf, I re-soaked all 3 pots then repositioned the baggie onto the adjacent (dormant) potted seed. - Just over 3 weeks later, THAT seed sprouted. And in case you didn't already guess, I later repeated this procedure one last time with the exact same results on the 3rd seed- giving 100% germination. --- Sooo... Notwithstanding Julius' recent comments about delayed germination & survival strategies (which make perfect sense), I'm nonetheless led to believe this species requires constant moisture and heat in order to germinate. Perhaps those lengthy or otherwise erratic results others have experienced can be traced to local environmental conditions finally being "right" (warm + moist) for sufficient time to finally induce germination. Or... perhaps my bouncing baggie game was mere coincidence (?). Next time anyone makes/receives seed of this plant, it would be neat if you could try this for yourself and let us know your results! Respectfully submitted, -Dan Levin * ("Synandrospadix success." April 15, 2000)

From: "Ron Iles" roniles at eircom.net> on 2001.05.31 at 01:18:49(6632) Seriously! Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? Ron Iles +More ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM Subject: More Synandrospadix

From: "Eduardo Goncalves" edggon at hotmail.com> on 2001.05.31 at 04:50:24(6635) Dear Ron, In the countries where S. vermitoxicus is native (Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia), it is used against "worms" (in fact, it is used against ectoparasites like fly larvae). They grate the tubers (poor tubers) and put it directly on the wounds. Considering that Synandrospadix is a close relative of Dieffenbachia (the dangerous dumb-cane), poor worms too! Interestingly, there is another close relative called Gorgonidium vermicidum, also used against worms in Andean countries. If it is effective, we do not know, because studies on the pharmacological aspects of aroids are scanty. Maybe someday... +More Very best wishes, Eduardo. >From: "Ron Iles" >Reply-To: aroid-l@mobot.org >To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix >Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 20:18:47 -0500 (CDT) > > >Seriously! > >Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? > >Ron Iles > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Levin" >To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" >Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM >Subject: More Synandrospadix > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.05.31 at 13:21:28(6636) >>Seriously! Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? Ron Iles<< +More Hi Ron, Like many Aroids, this one is also very toxic, the juice from the tuber is said to be used by natives to kill maggots, and a warning has been given to handle the dormant tuber (which is covered with a white 'bloom' of crystals) with gloves. Eduardo Goncalves from Brazil, an expert on the group, posted a most interesting letter concerning this South American group of tuberous Aroids a while ago, perhaps we can ask him 'pretty please' to repeat it, as many may have missed it. My next trip 'down South' will produce for you a wild-collected Spath. cannifolium, promise! Keep up the wonderful work, it is a breath of fresh air!! Sincerely, Julius ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM Subject: More Synandrospadix

From: "Eduardo Goncalves" edggon at hotmail.com> on 2001.05.31 at 14:52:26(6638) Dear aroid people, There is a very useful resource that I think some of you do not know. Go to the site http://www.hort.net/lists//aroid-l/search.cgi and type the genus (or subject) that interests you within the aroid business. It will bring you past posts on Aroid-L, since 1996 (yes, since the stone age). Everything you send to aroid-l is kept in their archives, so there is a lot of information there! Try this!!!! I have discovered, as an example, that my English did not improve too much since my first recorded posts! Cheers, Eduardo. +More >Hi Ron, > >Like many Aroids, this one is also very toxic, the juice from the tuber is >said to be used by natives to kill maggots, and a warning has been given to >handle the dormant tuber (which is covered with a white 'bloom' of >crystals) >with gloves. Eduardo Goncalves from Brazil, an expert on the group, >posted a most interesting letter concerning this South American group of >tuberous Aroids a while ago, perhaps we can ask him 'pretty please' to >repeat it, as many may have missed it. > >My next trip 'down South' will produce for you a wild-collected Spath. >cannifolium, promise! > >Keep up the wonderful work, it is a breath of fresh air!! > >Sincerely, > >Julius > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

From: "S.P.J. Hoogma" s.p.j.hoogma at hccnet.nl> on 2001.05.31 at 18:24:29(6641) >From the site of Paul Christian: Tubers are about 10cm diameter and just under 50gm in weight. These are naturally covered in tiny oxalate crystals which repel and kill insects and wildlife, hence the latin name, the crystals may also irritate sensitive human skins, so wash you hands after handling them and be warned that the tubers, in common with most aroids, (Arum, Biarum, Arisaema etc) are poisonous if eaten. Sipke Hoogma +More s.p.j.hoogma@hccnet.nl ----- Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 3:18 AM Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix > > Seriously! > > Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? > > Ron Iles > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Levin" > To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" > Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM > Subject: More Synandrospadix > >

From: "Ron Iles" roniles at eircom.net> on 2001.05.31 at 20:28:37(6648) Hi Eduardo & Julius! As two of our experts in Brazil and from Trinidad you are always delightfully helping all +More aroiders on Aroid L! You do this freely. If it was any other Group they would charge for having you & the ever increasing IAS Web Site and other resources. To get even more impressive, & comprehensive with EVERY GROUP & EVERY NEED "on-line" we need aLL Aroid-L people who are accessing the resources free to join IAS.......................PLEASE! It's a leap of faith in IAS for YOU to JOIN and US to have ENOUGH MEMBERS TO DO ALL YOU NEED AND MORE. Thank you Eduardo & Julius again, just one of 505(?) great Members. So for NON-MEMBERS of Aroid L PLEASE be enthusiastic and idealistic and become hopefully much more fulfilled as a MEMBER OF IAS. Now, apart from mine, let's have more existing Membership rallying calls to WELCOME new Members. Thanks for your kindness and appreciation too Julius and everybody! (Everybody I've talked with in IAS is an exceptional human being) After the Newsletter hurricane, I wanna shut my mouth and do my OWN WORK and see if I can go back to getting some more of "THEM" here but I'm too ****** exhausted for a day or so. I'll try to go quiet, difficult because I like to see things done really well by PARTICIPATORS! And..will those YOUNG old stagers in Florida who are distinguished Members still NOT "ON-LINE", for OUR SAKES, get out and buy a cheap computer and get "on-line". The IAS can't work properly or go into the stratosphere without you with us in the shuttle. I don't worry about saying wrong things for GOOD, I'm one of Natures Free Spirits, and if I do a job for folks I do it WELL and dam well try to get everybody around to join be with me. So, if you are line get IAS Web Site Application Form completed after taking credit card out of wallet and then FAX OR since YOU ARE ALREADY A MEMBER AND OBVIOUSLY ONLY IN THE STATES, go to best computer shop and get "on-line" installed in your home. Just how few American IAS MEMBERS are NOT on-line? It is a disgrace if World Members can't talk with you but obviously you haven't realised! We will assume you will do one or the other without delay. You are only being fair to the massive goodwil that made possible Aroid L and the whole of IAS possible, they are GREAT FOLKS! Final action, will EVERYBODY who has joined in the past month post that they have on Aroid L so as you can be welcomed and listed. And for me can I have a COMPLETE LIST OF MEMBERS UP TO DATE UP TO A MONTH AGO for the next Newsletter. Then we can encourage anyone who we then know isn't yet a Member who is talking with us on Aroid L to HELP them to become so. Join the best and potentially most influential group of Plant loving people on the planet. That'll sort out things positively. IAS needs you and your energies. The Planet can't carry passengers. Are YOU going to join us to STOP our bits of the Planet dying? Love & Reverence for Life Ron Iles Passionate Biologist, Musician and Apprentice Word Smith ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 3:52 PM Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix | Dear aroid people, | | There is a very useful resource that I think some of you do not know. Go | to the site http://www.hort.net/lists//aroid-l/search.cgi and type the genus | (or subject) that interests you within the aroid business. It will bring you | past posts on Aroid-L, since 1996 (yes, since the stone age). Everything you | send to aroid-l is kept in their archives, so there is a lot of information | there! Try this!!!! I have discovered, as an example, that my English did | not improve too much since my first recorded posts! | | Cheers, | | Eduardo. | | | >Hi Ron, | > | >Like many Aroids, this one is also very toxic, the juice from the tuber is | >said to be used by natives to kill maggots, and a warning has been given to | >handle the dormant tuber (which is covered with a white 'bloom' of | >crystals) | >with gloves. Eduardo Goncalves from Brazil, an expert on the group, | >posted a most interesting letter concerning this South American group of | >tuberous Aroids a while ago, perhaps we can ask him 'pretty please' to | >repeat it, as many may have missed it. | > | >My next trip 'down South' will produce for you a wild-collected Spath. | >cannifolium, promise! | > | >Keep up the wonderful work, it is a breath of fresh air!! | > | >Sincerely, | > | >Julius | > | | _________________________________________________________________________ | Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. | |

From: "Ron Iles" roniles at eircom.net> on 2001.05.31 at 20:29:17(6651) Thank you Paul - all this wisdom in Aroid L needs to be consolidated for IAS, a huge treasure chest! Ron Iles +More ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 7:24 PM Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix | >From the site of Paul Christian: | | Tubers are about 10cm diameter and just under 50gm in weight. These are | naturally covered in tiny oxalate crystals which repel and kill insects and | wildlife, hence the latin name, the crystals may also irritate sensitive | human skins, so wash you hands after handling them and be warned that the | tubers, in common with most aroids, (Arum, Biarum, Arisaema etc) are | poisonous if eaten. | | Sipke Hoogma | s.p.j.hoogma@hccnet.nl | | ----- Original Message ----- | From: Ron Iles | To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L | Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 3:18 AM | Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix | | | > | > Seriously! | > | > Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? | > | > Ron Iles | > | > ----- Original Message ----- | > From: "Dan Levin" | > To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" | > Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM | > Subject: More Synandrospadix | > | > | |

From: magrysbo at shu.edu on 2001.06.02 at 15:16:48(6681) Yes, but will they repel #!**%!!#@%ing nematodes? "Eduardo Goncalves" @mobot.org on 05/31/2001 12:50:43 AM Please respond to aroid-l@mobot.org Sent by: aroid-l@mobot.org +More To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L cc: Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix Dear Ron, In the countries where S. vermitoxicus is native (Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia), it is used against "worms" (in fact, it is used against ectoparasites like fly larvae). They grate the tubers (poor tubers) and put it directly on the wounds. Considering that Synandrospadix is a close relative of Dieffenbachia (the dangerous dumb-cane), poor worms too! Interestingly, there is another close relative called Gorgonidium vermicidum, also used against worms in Andean countries. If it is effective, we do not know, because studies on the pharmacological aspects of aroids are scanty. Maybe someday... Very best wishes, Eduardo. >From: "Ron Iles" >Reply-To: aroid-l@mobot.org >To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix >Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 20:18:47 -0500 (CDT) > > >Seriously! > >Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? > >Ron Iles > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Levin" >To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" >Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM >Subject: More Synandrospadix > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.06.13 at 14:58:58(6691) >>Yes, but will they repel #!**%!!#@%ing nematodes?<< Not these little bastard nematodes here in Florida---the greatest cause of 'tuber death' of Synandrospadix around here if Florida seems to be nematodes! Julius +More "Eduardo Goncalves" @mobot.org on 05/31/2001 12:50:43 AM Please respond to aroid-l@mobot.org Sent by: aroid-l@mobot.org To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L cc: Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix Dear Ron, In the countries where S. vermitoxicus is native (Northern Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia), it is used against "worms" (in fact, it is used against ectoparasites like fly larvae). They grate the tubers (poor tubers) and put it directly on the wounds. Considering that Synandrospadix is a close relative of Dieffenbachia (the dangerous dumb-cane), poor worms too! Interestingly, there is another close relative called Gorgonidium vermicidum, also used against worms in Andean countries. If it is effective, we do not know, because studies on the pharmacological aspects of aroids are scanty. Maybe someday... Very best wishes, Eduardo. << >From: "Ron Iles" >Reply-To: aroid-l@mobot.org >To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >Subject: Re: More Synandrospadix >Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 20:18:47 -0500 (CDT) > > >Seriously! > >Is there a reason for it being named S, vermitoxicus? > >Ron Iles > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Levin" >To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" >Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 2:32 PM >Subject: More Synandrospadix > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

From: "Eduardo Goncalves" edggon at hotmail.com> on 2001.06.13 at 15:00:55(6699) No, despite it is considered strongly toxic to mammals, it is usually attacked by another parasites. My biggest tuber of Synandrospadix vermitoxicus (approx. 15 cm in diameter, before the attack) were attacked by an unknown primary agent during its dormancy (maybe nematodes, but I couldn?t find the monsters), so it was followed by fungus, bacteriae and even termites (believe me!), so it lost approximately 50% of its weight. Now I think it isn?t lost (I scrapped the tubers, put them in a Temik solution and sealed with fungicides). I only hope the the plant survive the chemical attack! I have never seen a massive attack like this in a tuberous aroid, so the poison is not so effective. Anyway, do not eat your tubers! Eduardo. +More >From: magrysbo@shu.edu > >Yes, but will they repel #!**%!!#@%ing nematodes? > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

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