Re: [aroid-l] tubers vs. bulbs vs. corms

I think the appropriate way to distinguish between "tuber" and "corm" is that
a tuber is a modified rhizome (a horizontal underground stem) and a corm is a
modified vertical stem. A tuber may produce roots or buds at any point on its
surface whereas a corm retains an approximate cylindrical symmetry (except
when splitting) with a cental bud and with roots produced at the edge of a
circle, usually at its base. I think the so-called "consensus" was incorrect.

Iza Goroff
Whitewater Wisconsin USA zone 4b

Jonathan Ertelt wrote:

> Several years back there was some extended discussion on this listserve
> whether or not we were talking about tubers or corms when we were
> discussing both Amorphophallus and Arisaema. (It may be that bulb came up
> as a possibility also, but that is so obviously incorrect that I don't
> really recall.) The consensus wound up favoring tuber as the correct term,
> though I was never thoroughly convinced, nor did I get into the discussion
> much. At any rate, both these structures, i.e. tubers and corms, are
> modified stems.
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