Re: [hostapix] tetraploids and octoploids in hosta...what does this mean to the

Regarding diploid, polyploid, tetraploid, amphidiploid and octoploids, the 
scientists among us need to know and understand all about chromosomes, but what 
do these terms mean to the average hosta gardener?

In hostas, do we only have diploid, polyploid and tetraploid, or more? I'm 
thinking Ran Lydell's H. 'Eagle's Nest' may be more than tetraploid???  

More and more we are hearing and reading about particular hostas being (or 
even may be) tetraploid. I believe these plants have thicker substance than 
their diploid counterparts, but after that it gets foggy to me. Do tetraploids 
grow slower? Do they have larger or more flowers? Will the mature size be smaller 
than diploid parents? 

If both the pollen and pod parents are tetraploid, will all the seedlings be 
tetraploid? I assume if one of the parents is and one isn't, one would get a 
mix of seedlings, correct?

I'm sure the above has been discussed at least in bits and pieces over the 
last few years, but one can't retain everything. I would be most appreciative 
for nonscientific explanations on what all the above means to the gardener 
trying to decide which plants to purchase.

Ray Rodgers, Bartonville, IL, Zone 5    

In a message dated 12/20/2004 3:16:32 AM Central Standard Time, 
Zonneveld@rulbim.LeidenUniv.nl writes:
In my article of 2000 in Euphytica I showed several Hosta plants to 
be triploid and tetraploid . Just feeling a plant is not a good proof of 
ploidy eg Mouse Ears has thick leaves but is diploid The main 
reason that octoploids are not made in Hosta is that they likely will 
grow very badly A hexaploid was made and it hardly grew. An 
amphidiploid is not a a plant behaving like a diploid but a tetraploid 
with the diploid chromosome complements of both parents. Hosta 
may have been original a tetraploid as are many plants but it is 
beside the mark still to consider it as a polyploid ( are humans 
then  also polyploids with 46 chromosomes?). Hosta is behaving 
now fully as a diploid as is born out by the inheritance of several 
markers ( white flowers. yellow leaves, etc)
Ben J.M.Zonneveld
Institute of Biology,Leiden University, Clusius lab 
Wassenaarse weg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
Zonneveld@rulbim.Leidenuniv.NL
Fax: +31-71-5274999. min temp -10C (15F)

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