Re: HYB: Colchicine
- Subject: Re: [iris-talk] HYB: Colchicine
- From: G* S*
- Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 13:39:37 -0800
From: Gerry Snyder <gcsnyd@loop.com>
Kenneth Walker wrote:
>
> Colchicine works by stopping the cell from splitting after the chromosomes divide.
> This results in a cell with twice the number of chromosomes as usual.... From
> what I've read, giving plant cells the right dose for the right length time to get extra
> chromosomes without completely killing them can be tricky and varies between species.
To say the least. It can be applied to seeds, killing almost all of
them, or to growing parts, where it will kill much, also.
>
> Colchicine is derived from the seeds and bulbs of meadow saffron, Colchicum autumnale.
Saffron = (subset of) crocus = (subset of) irid (so must be okay,
yes??--NO!!!)
Colchicine used to be much more available than it is now. The regulators
realized that the druggies discovered that tetraploid/multiploid
marijuana was more potent than diploid. Therefore much colchicine went
into production of extra-strong marijuana. I have read that people could
die from smoking the leaves of a plant grown from a colchicine-treated
seed. Even the strong dilution effect from seed to leaf, plus the effect
of the incineration was not enough! This is a potent poison.
Sounds like something to avoid, to me!
wimpy Gerry
--
g*@loop.com
Gerry Snyder, AIS Symposium Chair
Region 15 Ass't RVP, JT Chair
Member San Fernando Valley, Southern California Iris Societies
in warm, winterless Los Angeles
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