No subject

[Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other=]

hardy  Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL> Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
Sender: "Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other=
From: "Jim McClements, Dover, DE z6" <JimMcClem at AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: triphyllum colors, hybridization, etc.
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transf er-Encoding: 7bit

In a message dated 3/7/02 12:03:45 PM, nargsbs at EFN.ORG writes:

<< This might be a good time in relation to all this discussion of

hybridization, to ask, once again, a question that I asked once before (m=ore

than a year ago, I think) and never received an answer. How often do

arisaemas spontaneously hybridize in usual garden conditions. Do others o=n

the list have plants grown from their own seed that have not been

intentionally hybridized that are obvious hybrids? So far, I have not, bu=t

I'd like to hear what others have to say.

>>

Ernie

I've probably been growing arisaemas in the garden as long as most, and I='m
not aware of any natural hybrids so far. However, it's only been about 5
years that I've had a significant number of different species, so it's re=ally
too soon to tell much.

The fact that the flowering time of the various species extends from Febr=uary
(limbatum) to July or later (candidissimum) certainly diminishes the  cha=nces
of many crosses.

The only artificial hybrids that I've seen are those with sikokianum, not=ably
those with takedae, and they certainly don't add anything to the beauty o=f
sikokianum, as far as I'm concerned. I'm in complete accord with Pascal's
concerns about not muddying up the taxonomy any further than it already i=s,
at least not on purpose!

Therefore, it's probably a good idea to identify garden-collected, open
pollinated  seeds as such, even by tagging them as "ex sikokianum", or "e=x CY
A-97-00" in the case of Chinese imports yet to be positively identified.

Jim McClements