Blooming aponogetons

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Blooming aponogetons
From: N.Monks at nhm_ac.uk (Neale Monks)
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 1996 15:15:28 +0000

Todd,

As far as I know, only Aponogeton crispus is self-fertile, so dusting the
flowers probably won't achieve much, but I could be wrong.

With A.crispus, a soft sable paint brush does the trick. I think it is best
to work the pollen upwards, from the older flowers to the younger. The
petals then fall away, and a small fruit develops. These can be placed in a
saucer of water in a greenhouse, or perhaps in a breeding trap in the tank,
and they sprout happily. I get maybe one or two baby plants this way,
perhaps there are more efficient ways?

Good luck,

Neale.

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From  Neale Monks' Macintosh PowerBook, at...

Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD
Internet: N.Monks at nhm_ac.uk, Telephone: 0171-938-9007

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