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Re: A. Crispus propogation
>Aquatic Plants Digest Sunday, 29 October 1995 Volume 01 : Number 039
>
>In this issue:
>
> A. Crispus propagation
> Glossary for glossary (A)
>
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>Thomas Price wrote Oct 29:
>Date: Sun, 29 Oct 1995 10:20:22 -0800 (PST)
>Subject: A. Crispus propagation
>
>This is a follow-up to my question about an A. crispus in my tank which
>is putting out flower spikes but not producing seeds. Thanks for all the
>replies. One suggestion was that I am removing the spike too early, and
>that the seeds will develop if I let it start to decompose on the plant.
>I am trying this now, but it doesn't look to me like much development is
>taking place. Certainly not on the time scale of the growth of the spike
>from base to top of the tank.
>
>Another suggestion, from Karen Randall, was that the plant may not be
>self-fertile. I have two of these, but only one has generated a spikes.
>The first A. crispus began putting up spikes shortly after the first
>leaves reached the surface. The second one just has not developed to the
>same degree as #1. It may be getting out-competed and is probably
>planted too close, about 2" separation. If #2 starts to develop flower
>spikes, will the two plants pollinate one another? It seems that this
>would be beneficial in any case. Should I do anything to help the
>pollination, when I do get flower spikes from #2?
>
>Thanks in advance for any advice.
>
>Tom
>
A number of the Aponogetons, as Karen Randall said, are not self-fertile.
They have a mechanism that prevents self pollination. I have seen A.
crispus self fertilize on some occasions, but now I have a plant of that
species that refuses to self-fertilize. I have two methods to to self
fertilize aponogetons, and have tried both with this plant. The first is
to dip the flower spike under the water surface, raise it out, and then
repeatedly dip it into the patch of pollen that it left on the water
surface. The other is to brush the spike with a dry paintbrush of the kind
used for painting watercolors. I let the spike stay on until its stem
rots. The plant that is currently refusing self-pollination is in stronger
light than others of mine that have self-fertilized. I wonder if the
mechanism preventing self-fertilization "kicks in" when the plant has a lot
of light. If your plant refuses all efforts at self-pollination, they you
must try to get your other plant to flower and cross polinate using a
paintbrush.
I have had A. ulvaceus refuse to self-pollinate, and, also A. guillotii.
On the other hand, A. madagascariensis self-pollinates easily, and usually,
so does A. crispus. However, there are statements in my aquatic plant
books that A. crispus is variable, and that some aquarium varieties may be
hybrids. Perhaps some of the aquarium varieties can self-pollinate and
others do not.
Paul Krombholz Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS 39174