Re: Polyploid Sum and Substance?
----- Original Message -----
From: James M. Anderson <JmaHosta@WinterberryFarms.com>
To: <hosta-open@mallorn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 10:14 AM
Subject: Polyploid Sum and Substance?
*******************
Jim
A couple of farther observations. On the original TC there were some, but
not a high number of "off types" However, I have observed pretty much what
you pointed out. I also wanted to note the scapes and blooms. on all the
plants that have come into bloom , wether in sun or shade. the scapes have
been short, about 14 ". The blooms are thick and waxy, they tend to face
straight out from the scape and are as large or larger than on S & S. Most
important, they are very closly clustered and the scape seems to be
abnormally heavy.
Thanks
Ran
*******************
> This not about the election, so you can delete the message now. However,
a
> few of you may be interested in this bit of Hosta trivia.
>
> Ran Lydell gave us a Hosta to TC last year called Eagle's Nest which is a
> sport of Sum and Substance. The plant has a dark green center and a wide
> yellow-green edge. It is more shinny than Sum and Substance and has more
> substance. However, it does not grow as vigorously as the parent S&S.
Both
> Ran and I have suspected that the plant might be a polyploid due to its
> growth characteristics.
>
> Now, after growing the plant in TC for a year, I have these observations.
> Like most variegated Hosta, the plant is only partially stable to TC and
> produces a number of dark green off types and light green off types (the
two
> parts of the original variegated plant). What is interesting, is that the
> light green types are indistinguishable from Sum and Substance in color
and
> growth habit. The dark green types are very different from S&S. They are
> very slow growing (probably will produce a small Hosta) and have
tremendous
> substance. These observations point to a chimeric polyploid where the dark
> green cell layer (center of leaf) is probably polyploid and the light
green
> cell layer (the edge of the leaf) is not. This is in contrast to H.
Bottom
> Line where both the off types (dark green from the center and gold from
the
> edge) grow with fairly equal vigor (similar to S&S).
>
> It is also possible that the dark green form is the result of another type
> of mutation. We have isolated several other of these possibly chimeric
> polyploids (Fragrant Bouquet > Winter Bouquet, Guacamole > Jade Stone, and
> Christmas Tree > Christmas Lights) none of which show this large reduction
> in growth rate of the resultant sport.
>
> Jim Anderson
> Winterberry Farms TC
>
>
>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE HOSTA-OPEN
