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My funny foxglove.
A foxglove growing close to the stem of an old Wisteria has developed
a pecuiliar characteristic that I have not seen before. The leaves and flower spike are normal with the exception that the flower spike doesn't just get thinner and end in a point, it's got a rosette sort of structure on top! Is this common? What is it for? |
On Tue, 24 May 2005 10:19:22 +0100, Chris Bacon
wrote: A foxglove growing close to the stem of an old Wisteria has developed a pecuiliar characteristic that I have not seen before. The leaves and flower spike are normal with the exception that the flower spike doesn't just get thinner and end in a point, it's got a rosette sort of structure on top! Is this common? What is it for? I once had a similar thing happen some years ago. A normal foxglove stem with normal flowers all the way up, but the top one was a round flower (as you say, rosette) at the top. I learned that it is called "fasciation" (as in the RHS link). Looking at it a friend said "It's fascinated"! LOL Pam in Bristol |
In message , Pam Moore
writes On Tue, 24 May 2005 10:19:22 +0100, Chris Bacon wrote: A foxglove growing close to the stem of an old Wisteria has developed a pecuiliar characteristic that I have not seen before. The leaves and flower spike are normal with the exception that the flower spike doesn't just get thinner and end in a point, it's got a rosette sort of structure on top! Is this common? What is it for? I once had a similar thing happen some years ago. A normal foxglove stem with normal flowers all the way up, but the top one was a round flower (as you say, rosette) at the top. I learned that it is called "fasciation" (as in the RHS link). Looking at it a friend said "It's fascinated"! LOL Pam in Bristol A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
In article , Stewart Robert Hinsley
writes A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. What causes it? -- Kay "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river" |
In message , Kay
writes In article , Stewart Robert Hinsley writes A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. What causes it? It's a mutation - hence the ability to purchase seed of peloric strains of foxgloves. I don't know the details, but I believe it's a mutation in a floral development gene. Googling finds a statement that the peloric phenotype in Antirrhinum is caused by loss of function mutations in the CYCLOIDEA and DICHOTOMA genes. Given that peloric flowers in foxgloves are often terminal, rather than universal, I guess that the situtation in foxgloves is morre complicated. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message ... In message , Kay writes In article , Stewart Robert Hinsley writes A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. What causes it? It's a mutation - hence the ability to purchase seed of peloric strains of foxgloves. I don't know the details, but I believe it's a mutation in a floral development gene. Googling finds a statement that the peloric phenotype in Antirrhinum is caused by loss of function mutations in the CYCLOIDEA and DICHOTOMA genes. Given that peloric flowers in foxgloves are often terminal, rather than universal, I guess that the situtation in foxgloves is morre complicated. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley ~~~~~~~~~~~# Damage to the meristem from any one of numerous agents can be the primary cause. In some instances this has been shown to be able to be inherited. Stripes in tulips are viral in origin but thence inherited. Best Wishes Brian |
Brian wrote:
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote... Kay writes Stewart Robert Hinsley writes A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. What causes it? It's a mutation - hence the ability to purchase seed of peloric strains of foxgloves. Damage to the meristem from any one of numerous agents can be the primary cause. In some instances this has been shown to be able to be inherited. This is all very interesting, and the plant itself is becoming more interesting, too - I shall try and photograph it today. The original sci-fi "head" has developed - but not into a single flower. The "rosette" form *looked* like a slice through a wasps nest (if you know what that's like!), a concave cup affair with "dead" arcs of (?) showing. It looked most unlikely to flower, but now has - it's a mass of light pink petals, like those of a dahlia, all coming out mainly "forwards". The main stem looks normal enough, perhaps the flowers are more closely spaced than normal - but there are several more spikes developing, each with another funny looking thing on top! I wonder, if I save some seed, whether any plants from it might be the same? |
In message , Chris Bacon
writes Brian wrote: "Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote... Kay writes Stewart Robert Hinsley writes A round flower on a foxglove is called a peloric flower. This is not the same as fasciation. What causes it? It's a mutation - hence the ability to purchase seed of peloric strains of foxgloves. Damage to the meristem from any one of numerous agents can be the primary cause. In some instances this has been shown to be able to be inherited. This is all very interesting, and the plant itself is becoming more interesting, too - I shall try and photograph it today. The original sci-fi "head" has developed - but not into a single flower. The "rosette" form *looked* like a slice through a wasps nest (if you know what that's like!), a concave cup affair with "dead" arcs of (?) showing. It looked most unlikely to flower, but now has - it's a mass of light pink petals, like those of a dahlia, all coming out mainly "forwards". The main stem looks normal enough, perhaps the flowers are more closely spaced than normal - but there are several more spikes developing, each with another funny looking thing on top! I wonder, if I save some seed, whether any plants from it might be the same? As all the spikes are behaving the same it seems likely that it's genetic rather than environment, and therefore there's a fair chance that if you sow seed from the plant at least some of the seedlings will show the same trait. This is not the regular form of peloric foxglove, where the terminal flower is single. It might be a form of fasciation, or a form of double flower. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
The message
from Chris Bacon contains these words: I wonder, if I save some seed, whether any plants from it might be the same? It's worth tryung. If the next generation is true too, there's a company (I can't unforget which one, but someone here will know) which will take on the marketing of anything new. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
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