Re: [Aroid-l] Thoughts on GOOD SMELLING A. bulbifer

Hello aroiders!
    I'll just throw in my two cents and agree with Julius here. There ARE
pleasantly scented A. bulbifer, and the biggest one in our school greenhouse
is a prime example. If you stuff your nose right in it at its peak of odor
you get a touch of "natural gas leak", but from a couple of feet away the
overall effect is a floral, slightly sweet, subtle scent. The teachers at my
school have all had an opportunity to smell other species - konjac, henryi,
etc. - and all agree that those species stink up a storm, but they all also
agree that bulbifer is the most pleasant of the bunch. I suspect there is a
lot of natural variation - even within a species - and odor probably can
vary quite a lot.
    My other big interest is the genus Arum, and the smells in that genus
are extremely variable. Different clones of Arum sintenisii, for example,
can vary from pleasantly fruity and candy-like, to pungently over-ripe and
rotten, to odorless. The joy of genomes!

Cheers,
C.J.
Citrus Heights, California


On 06/23/2007 02:55, "Julius Boos" <ju-bo@msn.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> Dear  Amorphofriends,
> 
> I have just received a note from ANOTHER friend and grower confirming that
> he too has A. bulbifer in his collection which produce  good-smelling blooms
> which he can display indoors!
> I have waited, literally for YEARS, for someone, ANYONE to notice this 'good
> smelling' A. bulbifer (THANKS, C.J. !!), as when I FIRST brought this topic
> up years ago as I remember it, everyone who pitched in to that discussion
> back then said that there was no such plant!    They thought that ALL A.
> bulbifers stunk!  I even remember suggesting that maybe there was a 'ringer'
> in this group, perhaps ANOTHER species which might closely resemble A.
> bulbifer, but smelt GOOD!  All said 'no way!!"  So---I retreated into my
> shell, shut up, and waited to hear if ANYONE else had experienced or smelt
> what I had witnessed at The Mounts Bot. Garden sale those many years ago at
> C. Mc. D`s booth!
> Now, years later, we have confirmation from TWO NEW people who say that they
> too have experienced the 'good smelling' A. bulbifers!
> And yes, j b, I too agree that it does not make evoloutionary 'sense' to
> have a plant utilizing TWO attractant scents, but then again, it just might
> work, as pollinators of DIFFERENT types may still get the job done on BOTH
> clones/vars, which, in evoloutionary 'time' (millions of years), may lead to
> the production of a recognisable NEW species??!!   Cross-pollination of one
> var. by the other might be interesting!!
> What say yee now, all other growers of this plant??   Does anyone else have
> information or suggestions to add to this discussion??
> 
> The Best to all,
> 
> Julius
> 
> 
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