Fw: Line breeding vs hybridization

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-----Original Message-----
From: P*@aol.com <P*@aol.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L <a*@mobot.org>
Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 1:55 AM
Subject: Re: Line breeding vs hybridization

In a message dated 6/24/2001 8:36:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
e*@hotmail.com writes:

It is clearly (not so clearly) different from the other
species of Xanthosoma, but it probably has its origins associated with
humans. Should we consider it an artificial species, or should we consider
it as a species that evolved in some kind of mutualistic relation with the
human animal? The same with X. riedelianum, X. atrovirens and many other
species. Even Spathiphyllum wallisii is not known in the wild.

>>aren't many plants totally unknown in the wild?  including pineapple, corn,
and the common hibiscus. <<

Pineapples are certainly known from the wild, the wild 'forms'/species produce MUCH smaller (2" dia.)sour fruit, not as tasty as the selectivly bred forms that are commercially grown.  I grow three 'species' here, beautiful (but spiney!)little things.

 I just posted a note about 'wild' maize, and I`m not sure about hibiscus, but there are vars./species of 'simple' hibiscus which I`ve been TOLD are the wild forms, one has a basket/pendant bloom.

To TRY and keep this discussion Aroid-related, perhaps someone w/ time on their hands here in Florida or in a warm clime (Eduardo!?!?!?) can plant and observe a rhizome from a 'cultivated' plant of X. sagittifolia---I am told that unless this plant is 'tended', i.e. harvested, re-planted, etc., it stops or slows its producion of the desirable off-shoot rhizomes and just becomes a GIANT plant that produces many blooms, in other words it reverts to a 'wild' state.   If even this 'proves' nothing, at least it may show/teach us something about what the 'wild' plant was like!   I have seen these 'wild' Xanthosomas here in Florida, and they are MUCH larger than the ones you see in cultivated fields South of the Miami area.

Julius Boos

W.P.B.,

FLORIDA

tsuh yang chen, nyc, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orchidspecies