This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Amorphophallus is a corm?

I've taught propagation and development for years and a close look at
Amorphophallus konjac and the way the new corm forms on top of the shrinking
one plus the production of cormels on elongated underground shoots makes me
believe it is a corm.  Tubers (e.g. white potato) are underground stems with
pyllotaxy ("eyes" in the case of potatoes) of axillary buds matching the
above ground phyllotaxy.  Could someone with botanical expertise comment.
Has tuber been just an accepted term or does it have botanical standing.
All the literature, including monograph by Hettersheild say "tuber".
Convince me please.

************************************************
Michael Marcotrigiano (email:  marcotrigiano@pssci.umass.edu)
Associate Professor
Rm 211 French Hall
Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences
Univ of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-4210  USA
------------------------------------------------
phone: 413-545-5227
fax: 413-545-3075
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index