seedling leaves

[guy gusman]

Wilbert,
I follow you on this ground.
The shape of the first eophyll is a reliable character of each arisaema
species. Anyway this dicussion on the presence of more than one "true leaf"
during the first growing season is puzzling and quite interesting.
To be precise, I never observed such a behaviour in any specimen among the
seedlings (some thousands) I grow frome some years. But I also want to say
that I have no idea at all about the germination of amorphophallus... Just
of arisaema and arum.
Guy

>In my wildest dreams, I envision Arisaema being the sister genus to
>Amorphophallus + Pseudodracontium (=tribe Thomsonieae). One of the potential
>indications is the number of leaflets per first seedling leaf. Amorphs always
>have a divided leaf when germinating and this character is only repeated
>in several Arisaema. I woudl like to know of what species that are currently
>germinating all over the place (not with me yet but I was late in sowing)
>the first leaf is simple and undivided and which ones are tripartite!
>
>Thanks already,
>Wilbert