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From: "P.Bruggeman" <pbruggeman at WISH.NET>
Subject: The size-hypothesis
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Susanne,

Just some additional thoughts to the size-hypothesis:

- Arisaema usually go through a male phase, sometimes followed by a bisex=ual
phase (dependent on nutrition?) and end up as a female plant or stay
bisexual. If Arisaema are all genetically bisexual, wouldn't it be logica=l
with the size-hypothesis that the sequence would be male-female-bisexual?
Each stage in this sequence requires a bigger tuber (or plant) if the
size-hypothesis were true.

- In my collection I have found that species which are capable of produci=ng
bulblets usually start doing so the year before they flower (3-4 year old=s).
Most species then flower a year or 2 male before they eventually flower
female. The unusual thing is that bulblet-production is much more prolifi=c
in the "male"-years than the "female"-years for some species. The older a=nd
bigger the tuber gets, the less bulblets are formed. To me, if I use the
size-hypothesis, this sounds illogical because these Arisaema choose to s=tay
male longer than they have to! Bulblet-production is a loss of resources
which could have been used to reach the female stage much sooner.
Propagation through seeds is genetically and number-wise a much better wa=y
to ensure the future of the species than vegetative reproduction so why
wait? It is almost as if there is a reason for species to flower male for=a
couple of years instead of female (or bisexual) and "release" resources o=n
purpose through bulblets. It is not a general rule but I have noticed thi=s
phenomenon with at least 10 different species. Any explanation?

Pascal