Re: [Aroid-l] Leaf fertilization - A.titanum 'ghost'

From: Ken Mosher ken at spatulacity.com> on 2005.06.12 at 23:53:12(12999) Since that titanum is a seedling I wouldn't expect it even to form a tuber. Where would it get the energy to grow one? Without chlorophyll how can it survive at all? +More In the C&S world, for instance, when a variegated haworthia occasionally produced a completely white offset, it is always left on the mother plant. Whenever they are removed and grown on their own, they don't take long to die. If it even lives until its first dormancy, or produces a second white leaf, I'd love someone to explain to me how that happened. If the owner is lucky it will produce a green leaf, but will there be any energy left in the seed to do that? It's interesting to hear about George's variegated maple that produces non-viable branches with all-white leaves. I would have guessed, if I'd seen it in a nursery, that the "healthy" parts of the plant would sustain the mutant branch. I wonder about the process that shuts down a non food producing branch. It's clearly beneficial to the rest of the tree to get rid of that branch. -Ken W. George Schmid wrote: Hi, The phenomenon of white plant tissue also occurs in other genera. In my experience with hostas, completely white plants (as your A. titanum) may survive one season but the lack of chlorophyll results in the hosta rhizome (or the A. tuber) not being able to store sufficient sugars for the next year's growth. As a consequence, the plants will decline and no longer be viable after a season or two or three. Usually, some hostas fight this condition and become viridescent, i.e., the leaves turn partially or all the way green later in the season (the time frame when sugars are stored in hostas) to make up for this lack of chlorophyll. In other cases the white leaves collapse and rot away and are replaced with green leaves. Some of these plants recover and live on by making the white-phase a temporary condition. I have a variegated Acer negundo that routinely sends out branches with all-white leaves. None of these branches has survived more than three seasons, unless they become viridescent, which happens occasionally. I have a large collection or amorphs and arisaemas, but have not experienced white forms so cannot comment on these aroids in particular. I would guess that large tubers with a large stored-up food supply may be able to survive for a time. Judging by my experience with other genera, the white form is either a lethal condition or will not survive in the long run. It would be interesting to see if this plant has enough food reserves to make an inflorescence. HTH, George W. George Schmid Hosta Hill - Tucker Georgia USA Zone 7a - 1188 feet AMSL 84-12'-30" West_33-51' North Outgoing e-mail virus checked by NAV ----- Original Message ----- To: "Discussion of aroids" Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 02:08 Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Leaf fertilization - A.titanum 'ghost' I see no evidence of chlorophyll. I don't know how it could survive very long without it unless grafted like some cacti are, but then what could you graft it on to? David S. _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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