Tubers again

McClements, Jim JimMcClem at AOL.COM
Thu Oct 2 20:46:21 CEST 1997


Martyn

In looking at some of the material that I had saved from the earlier
discussion (March '97), I note that the point of confusion was between
"tuber" and "corm". I don't think that anyone was defending "bulb" or
"rhizome" as a proper word for the underground storage organ of arisaema.
Occasionally "stoloniferous" certainly, but "rhizomatous"?

In reviewing available literature back then, I found that the majority of
writers (presumably "experts") favored "tuber", but this was by no means
unanimous. In fact some of the "experts" vacillated between the two. My
personal problem was that I have a hard time seeing much resemblance between
an arisaema "whatever" and the classic example of a tuber, the potato.
However, since March I have done my best to follow the will of the majority
and eliminate "corm" from my arisaema vocabulary.

Now comes along John Good, in the latest AGS Bulletin, writing an excellent
article (I thought) on vegetative propagation, in which occurs the following
phrase:
"Corms (often mistakenly called tubers) of some species of Arisaema---"
He goes on to write that removing the main bud just as it starts into growth
will stimulate the formation of small corms (another subject worthy of
discussion).

I would agree that the AEG should get it right and spread the word. But I
need to be 100% convinced that "corm" is unacceptable terminology before I
join the crusade!

Jim McClements



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