In message , Sacha
writes
On 29/4/07 17:31, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:
In message , Sacha
writes
This year we have one clump of pink bluebells when we have never had any
before, anywhere. Does anyone know how this happens?
I'd guess that this is a seedling which is displaying a recessive trait.
Flower colour depends on several factors, among which are the nature and
concentration of the pigments involved, and the concentration of
Hydrogen (acidity) and other ions in the environment in which they are
stored.
For example, Hydrangea is well known for the flower colour varying with
soil chemistry. Presumably Hydrangea doesn't maintain its pigments in a
controlled chemical environment. Similarly a bluebell could have a
broken enzyme, leading to the chemical environment in which its pigments
are held not being controlled, and therefore a change in colour.
Alternatively, pigments are produced, one from another, in a chain of
reactions, catalysed by various enzymes. If one of the enzymes is broken
the end result of the change of reactions is a different pigment, with a
consequent change in flower colour.
Both interesting and erudite, thank you Stewart! Do you think our pink
bluebells are more likely to be the Spanish ones. I haven't had time to do
a close inspection yet but I'll get out there today.
We were driving home across Dartmoor on Saturday and had the great pleasure
of seeing huge masses of English bluebells in the hedgerows, along with
campion and stitchwort. It was the most beautiful sight.
I am under the impression that the white and pink variants occur in
parallel in both Common and Spanish Bluebells. There are a number of
other characters that distinguish the two species -
URL:http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&q=English+Spanish+bluebell
will find you text on that subject, but that will not necessarily apply
to all hybrids - if you've got some introgression into a population of
Common Bluebells all you can do is rogue obvious hybrids as they occur.
I expect that pink and white variants occur more frequently in
populations grown from cultivated stock, rather than from wild stock, as
variants have been selected for horticultural use in the past.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley