Re: Alocasia of Thailand

---

In some ways we are more confused than ever, but we feel that we are
confused on a higher level and about more important things.

Tony:

While we certainly like neat packages, those of us working in mega-rich
places are under no illusions that the species often haven't read the same
rule books!

Certainly 'species' such as A. macrorrizos and A. cucullata bend the
boundaries a lot. What is of course interesting is that A. macrorrhizos
(notwithstanding its doubtful 'pure' species status) is definitely related
(and here we are talking molecularly) to some unquestionably 'good' species,
such as A. portei and A. flabellifer, which poses even more difficulties. It
is also problematic to lalk about utilization of cultivars, especially those
that are selections of what may themselves be cultivars, albeit so
long-standing that they have effectively stabilized and function as species,
even to the extent that they have lost the ability to hybridize with other
elements of what was once a single gene pool.

Forgive me if I appear to be avoiding answering your suggestion. But the
fact is that I am not sure HOW to answer. The bottom line is that, at
present, we can only be sure that A. macrorrhizos and A. cucculata are NEVER
found away from human disturbance in 'habitat' and furthermore, away from
the attention of horticulturists are remarkable morphologically stable.

As a final thought on this, it is also important to remember that species
framework, and the interspecific crossing is often in nature not just a
matter of 'incompatibility'. Distribution, flowering time even down to the
level of time of day, and how these barriers function to  manage
pollinators, or select for a particular pollinator guild, are as much, if
not more, a barrier than simple unrelatedness. If ever an example was needed
of the role of pollinator guild niche selection, the orchids of the
Stanhopineae contain numerous examples.

Cheers

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com [aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com]
On Behalf Of Tony Avent
Sent: 05 September 2009 21:29
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Alocasia of Thailand

Pete:

I thought it was botanists/taxonomists who like nice neat nomenclatural 
packages.  These cultons sound instead like a botanical grab bag into 
which all of the unsorted material is dumped.  If they are indeed 
selections of A. odora, then they certainly need cultivar names with A. 
odora as a species.  If, as Lari Ann suggests, they are cultivars which 
cannot be assigned to a particular species, but are old hybrid groups or 
species whose origins have been obscured, they still need a cultivar 
name.  Newly selected clones from them would then also need cultivar 
names.  This actually would make these fit much better into neat 
nomenclatural packages.  We would then know which new cultivar came from 
which old cultivar of say, A. macrorrhizos.  I tend to like the analysis 
from plant breeders and can attest that outside of DNA, this is one of 
the best ways to tell what is related to what.  That being said, has 
anyone done DNA analysis on this group?

Peter Boyce wrote:
  

Tony:

The x would indicate that they are stabilized hybrid species
    

(nothospecies)
  

as, for example, the situation with Cryptocoryne x purpurea (a
    

nothospecies
  

resulting from the stabilization of the naturally occurring hybrid C.
cordata x C. griffithii) this is not the case. Alistair and are both
    

pretty
  

much convinced that A. cucullata and A. macrorrhizos are stabilied
    

cultigens
  

(cultons) of A. odora. In cultivation thus they COULD be cited a A.
'Macrorrhizos' and A. 'Cucullata', but that would then lead to problems
    

with
  

cultons of these. Best to leave the situation as is.

Cheers

Pete

-----Original Message-----
From: aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com
    

[aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com]
  

On Behalf Of Tony Avent
Sent: 05 September 2009 00:45
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Alocasia of Thailand

Pete:

I was just reading over your fascinating paper on Alocasia in Thailand 
about both Alocasia cucullata and A. macrorrhizos not being valid 
species.   If this is the case and they are old cultigens, why would 
they not be properly written a Alocasia x macrorrhizos and Alocasia x 
cucullata with an appropriate cultivar name for the clone in commerce? 

Peter Boyce wrote:
  
    

Dear All,

 

For anyone interested there is attached to this a recent paper on the 
/Alocasia/ in Thailand, including the description of a large-growing 
species from the Thai/Cambodian border.

 

Peter

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-- 
Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery @
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Road
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