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From: "JM.Grimshaw" <JM.Grimshaw at BTINTERNET.COM>
Subject: Re: Pinellia cordata
Comments: To: Roy Herold <rrh at GENESIS.NRED.MA.US>
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Roy Herold asked about the Pinellia cordata I grow:

They are apparently the same well-marked clone that has been described =
here previously, producing broadly hastate leaves up to 8" long when =
doing really well. I grow them in light shade in the greenhouse and the =
markings are crisp and bright on a dark green background. My garden list ==
tells me that I acquired the 'bulbils' in 1992 from the Alpine Garden =
Society seed exchange, but I think I also got them at the same time from ==
NARGS and later combined the pots (my records are very poor for that =
period as I was mostly away in Africa).  My guess is that this clone (as ==
it seems to be) came into the seed exchanges from the same source at =
about the same time. Perhaps we should think of a cultivar name for it, =
so that this wonderful plant doesn't get confused with poorer, =
plain-leaved plants. Another good thing about it is the succession of =
fragrant flowers, which really do scent the greenhouse very pleasantly =
(said with feeling, as we are suffering an outbreak of Dracunculus =
today). It seems to be on the verge of hardiness here, but it is =
difficult to tell as I think slugs eat the young shoots as they emerge.

John

Dr. John Grimshaw

35 Wessex Way, Cox Green, Maidenhead, Berks. SL6 3BP

Tel/Fax 01628 778491  e-mail JM.Grimshaw at BTInternet.com


----------
From:  Roy Herold
Sent:  20 June 1998 02:24
To:  ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
Subject:  Re: Pinellia cordata

At 7:18 AM -0400 6/17/98, Ellen Hornig is rumored to have typed:


> Paul Botting asked about my different clones of P. cordata.  Yes, one =
came
> from Don Jacobs, and is (was - more in a moment) as he describes it -
> silver veins, purple backsides on the leaf.  The other comes from a
> friend, who got it from Japan - to my eye the coloration is much =
richer
> than in the Jacobs plant, with darker greens, brighter silvers, and =
deeper
> purples, particularly along the petioles.  It is also much larger - =
just
> from memory, I'd say leaves up to 8" aren't uncommon on the mature =
plants
> - but certainly not large enough to lose its charm.  Anyway, I've =
pretty
> much abandoned the Jacobs clone in favor of this one.

Being the source of the 'superior' P. cordata mentioned above, I'd like =
to
elaborate. I got these from the ARGS seedex about six years ago; they =
had
been donated by a member in Japan. Being an aroid neophyte at the time, =
I
haven't the foggiest idea if I received actual seeds or small bulbils. =
With
regard the silver markings, the intensity seems to be dependent on
culture-- I've had years when they weren't terribly happy (too much
shade?), and the leaves were almost completely green. This may explain =
the
variations that Paul B. is seeing. Everyone who has seen this plant is
amazed at how large it gets in comparison to ones they have seen =
elsewhere.
I'd have to agree; ones I've seen in other gardens, and even in Japan, =
were
half the size. (I'm sure Ellen would be glad to supply you with the good
one.) Just out of curiosity, how large is the one that you folks grow in
England and Europe? (Paul C.? John G.? Guy? Wilbert?)

Oh, yes, I forgot one other difference between Pinellias and Arisaemas:
Pinellias repeat bloom in a single season, usually three times here.

Now, the important question: why won't Pinellia cordata set seed??? The
inflorescenses are most certainly monecious (sp?), but I have never seed ==
a
single mature seedhead. Yes, the bulbils go all over the place, but that
doesn't count. I was just looking at an inflorescence the other day, and
wondered if it might take a special pollinator. The spathe is tightly
constricted around the spadix just below the male flowers, and the =
female
flowers are in a little chamber below. The latter has a narrow opening =
to
the outside, but it is quite small-- more gnat size than bee or fly =
size.
Any idea what it might take to complete the process?

--Roy Herold