Mon, 15 Nov 2004 09:11:46 -0600 Monique Reed wrote:
(snip what I wrote)


Honeylocust, as a member of the genus _Gleditsia_, is usually
polygamo-dioecious, which means that trees bear both unisexual and
bisexual flowers. So, while trees bear flowers that are mostly of one
sex, most will also have bisexual (perfect) flowers. I don't think it
is common to have fully male or fully female trees, so if you notice a
difference in fruit production from year to year, likely the tree is
just adjusting its proportion of unisexual and bisexual flowers.

Plants propagated from trunk or root sprouts will be exactly
genetically identical to the parent.

As for thorniness, it's quite variable from plant to plant. Often you
get more thorns on young individuals. AFAIK, thorniness is not
related to sex expression.

M. Reed.

Monique, you would not happen to know where most of the USA supply of "locust bean gum" that I see so much of the ingredients in
processed food is grown, harvested in the USA? I suppose the demand and supply is of a small demand. I am guessing it is the
honeylocust bean that is used.

Another question: Oak acorns I believe were used as a substitute for wheat flour to make bread in the old pioneer days. But I
wonder if eating oak acorns is unhealthy due to the tannins. Has anyone measured the relative food value of oak acorns to that of
wheat?

Archimedes Plutonium
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
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