Re: Tuber vs. Corm

From: MOTO_DO at t-online.de (Ihr Name) on 1999.01.13 at 01:20:49(2883) First of all how do you define a corm, did you mean the botanical terminus "cormus"? If yes, then in my opinion the corm is the wrong word. +More What I learned was that the corm (cormus) means an organism which had a stem and a leaf. Those plants (and all higher Plants are so called) where called Cormophytes. The Cormophytes where opposed to the Thallophytes. Then is there the word tuber: My definition for a tuber is that the axle is swollen and have the function as nutritive depot and the leafs where reduced to thin squamous elements. For example tubers are: Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum, Topinambur (Helianthus tuberous) or Colchicum. In Germany is another term existing. It is called "Wurzelknollen" I did not know the English word but translated it means "Root tubers". You find it for example in Genus "Orchis". The difference to tubers is the lacking of the reduced leafs and the existing of a Calyptra also another inner structure. Hoping the definitions would help a little bit. What never in the Araceae appears are bulbs. Thomas Mottl moto_do@t-online.de

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