RE: Tetraploids in Hosta {seedpod-size?}
- To:
- Subject: RE: Tetraploids in Hosta {seedpod-size?}
- From: M* C*
- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 07:40:35 -0500
- Importance: Normal
The things said about ventricosa may at one time been true. My experience
with it has not proven to follow the pattern proclaimed. Over the past
years I have grown many ventricosa seedlings that have ventricosa
characteristics but don't look like ventricosa. From my own experience
Ventricosa aureomarginita produces plants more typical than the all green
plants. The fact that most offspring are sterile may suggest something.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hosta-open@mallorn.com
[o*@mallorn.com]On Behalf Of halinar@open.org
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 5:03 AM
To: hosta-open@mallorn.com
Subject: Re: Tetraploids in Hosta {seedpod-size?}
Bill:
>Re: Hosta ventricosa; as a selected example plant - -- it is written
>almost everywhere -- that this plant says "I'M A TETRAPLOID", so I'm
>wondering:
When I look at the foliage of ventricosa I don't see anything that
stands out as saying it is tetraploid. The only thing I see as a
possible indication of tetraploidy is the large pod size. I generally
don't pay much attention to hoasta flowers as there isn't a lot of
difference between the flowers in different hostas as compared to
other genera. I suspect that tetraploid hostas might have somewhat
larger flowers, but pod size is probably the only visual trait that
may be of any significance.
>It is also stated: Ventricosa is the only pure-breeding hosta i.e.
>all seedling offspring are identical to the Mother (pod-parent) and
>this, because it produces seed without actual fertilization (via
>pseudogamous apomixis).
I'm beginning to doubt this. I have one seedling that is sieboldiana
x ventricosa that was a natural hybrid that I grew from OP sieboldiana
seed from a garden that only contained sieboldiana and ventricosa and
it looks like ventricosa. Hope to see it bloom this year.
In the fall of 1999 I planted a LOT of OP ventricosa aureomarginata
seed that I collected from Walden West and the germination was
extremely poor. Also, all the seedlings as far as I could tell looked
like hybrids. I saved all the vigorous ones and I should have decent
sized plants by the end of this summer. I'll try to get images of
them and post them on my web site. Now, ventricosa aureomarginata may
behave differently then ventricosa.
Joe Halinar
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