Re: The Spathe
- Subject: Re: The Spathe
- From: J* B*
- Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 00:08:53 -0600 (CST)
----- Original Message -----
From: <StellrJ@aol.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L <aroid-l@mobot.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 1:36 PM
Subject: The Spathe
Dear Jason,
I have also read in scientific literature while describing the palms where
the large hard structure surrounding/attending the flowers is refered to as
the spathe.
Good luck,
Julius
>>Hi,
We know the aroid spathe is unique in the plant kingdom, although there are
possible precursors in the subtending bracts of certain Cyclanthaceae and
Arecaceae, indeed a number of monocot taxa. But, I have been thinking
lately about whether there are analogous or precursory structures in the
dicots: the genera Davidia and Tilia come to mind. Both these genera have
bracts subtending the inflorescence, which differ greatly from the leaves;
and in Davidia, these are the showy part of the inflorescence. The question
is, can these bracts be in any way compared with the aroid spathe?
Jason Hernandez
Naturalist-at-Large<<
