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Yes, we know what bulbs are intended to achieve from the plants' point of view, but I think Ian is meaning that we should look beyond that to a reason for the underground ovary etc......
Quote from: Maggi Young on October 22, 2008, 03:40:41 PMYes, we know what bulbs are intended to achieve from the plants' point of view, but I think Ian is meaning that we should look beyond that to a reason for the underground ovary etc...... I would suggest it would be foolish to expose your bits to the sky until they are ready. Ovaries are a nutritious food source so there is no point in putting your eggs in an obvious and visible basket until it is time for dispersal?
Quote from: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2008, 09:18:19 AMQuote from: Maggi Young on October 22, 2008, 03:40:41 PMYes, we know what bulbs are intended to achieve from the plants' point of view, but I think Ian is meaning that we should look beyond that to a reason for the underground ovary etc...... I would suggest it would be foolish to expose your bits to the sky until they are ready. Ovaries are a nutritious food source so there is no point in putting your eggs in an obvious and visible basket until it is time for dispersal?Anthony - one of my Sternbergias currently has its bits exposed & I presume they are nutritious since they are being eaten by something. Martin Rix has a not very illuminating discussion of the subterranean ovary in his book Growing Bulbs. He lists 22 genera which possess it & in which it probaby originated independently.
Quote from: Gerry Webster on October 24, 2008, 10:01:11 AMQuote from: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2008, 09:18:19 AMQuote from: Maggi Young on October 22, 2008, 03:40:41 PMYes, we know what bulbs are intended to achieve from the plants' point of view, but I think Ian is meaning that we should look beyond that to a reason for the underground ovary etc...... I would suggest it would be foolish to expose your bits to the sky until they are ready. Ovaries are a nutritious food source so there is no point in putting your eggs in an obvious and visible basket until it is time for dispersal?Anthony - one of my Sternbergias currently has its bits exposed & I presume they are nutritious since they are being eaten by something. Martin Rix has a not very illuminating discussion of the subterranean ovary in his book Growing Bulbs. He lists 22 genera which possess it & in which it probaby originated independently. By there very nature, sternbergias have their ovaries on a stem. Crocus flowers have their ovaries under ground. The stem only elongates when the seeds are ripe, which makes sense.
I have always assumed or been taught that autumn flowering bulbs are flowering 'out of season' unlike their spring relatives which are 'in season' but is this the case?To broaden this discussion can anyone offer any reason why there are no autumn flowering fritillarias?
Quote from: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2008, 12:37:48 PMQuote from: Gerry Webster on October 24, 2008, 10:01:11 AMQuote from: Anthony Darby on October 24, 2008, 09:18:19 AMQuote from: Maggi Young on October 22, 2008, 03:40:41 PMYes, we know what bulbs are intended to achieve from the plants' point of view, but I think Ian is meaning that we should look beyond that to a reason for the underground ovary etc...... I would suggest it would be foolish to expose your bits to the sky until they are ready. Ovaries are a nutritious food source so there is no point in putting your eggs in an obvious and visible basket until it is time for dispersal?Anthony - one of my Sternbergias currently has its bits exposed & I presume they are nutritious since they are being eaten by something. Martin Rix has a not very illuminating discussion of the subterranean ovary in his book Growing Bulbs. He lists 22 genera which possess it & in which it probaby originated independently. By there very nature, sternbergias have their ovaries on a stem. Crocus flowers have their ovaries under ground. The stem only elongates when the seeds are ripe, which makes sense.Anthony - sorry, I obviously didn't make my point clearly enough. I was wondering why, if it was a so advantageous, Sternbergias did not also have subterranean ovaries - though I believe S. clusiana effectively does. With respect to crocus, I also wonder to what extent the supposed advantages of subterranean ovaries are offset by the enormous distance the pollen tube is required to grow - up to 10cm or so.
The question is biologically irrelevant.