I was wondering why is it that seed from a knwon
japanese maple cultivator can sometimes retain none of
its parents charecteristics. And can look like a
totally different cultivator, but a cutting retains
them all?


Because a seed results from sexual reproduction of two (or
sometimes more!) trees, each (even if they are carefully
developed cultivars) with slightly different genes that combine
with a certain amount of unpredictable randomness. The progeny
may be "similar" but not identical, or they may even revert to
the type speciman (or men) that were used to create the cultivar.
Cultivars, after all, are artificially created, plants that we
have forced into shapes and colors WE like, but which are not
necessarily of evolutionary benefit to the plant. Given the
opportunity (represented by the sexual "act" that results in
seeds) the plants will revert to something that DOES have an
evolutionary benefit of some kind -- probably seeds that are more
viable).

Cuttings are an (usually involuntary) a-sexual means of
reproduction -- in other words, clones. They only contain the
genes of THE parent plant.

Biology 101 (A.K.A. Sex and the Survival of Society)

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - "People,
when Columbus discovered this country, it was plum full of nuts
and berries. And I'm right here to tell you the berries are just
about all gone." -- Uncle Dave Macon, old-time musician

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