Philodendron sagittifolium entering female anthesis!

Discussion in 'Araceae' started by photopro, Jun 6, 2008.

  1. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Here are the first first photos of Philodendron sagittifolium entering female anthesis. Use this site's magnifier to see the detail better!

    Please understand, these images are copyright protected. Please, if you need to reproduce one, simply ask for permission. Don't just grab them! I register everything with the Library of Congress under the United States Copyright Law. Copyright 2008, Steve Lucas, www.ExoticRainforest.com
     

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    Last edited: Jun 15, 2008
  2. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Seen it on the other post. Great shots mate!!
     
  3. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    This is Dr. Tom Croat's explanation of the red "dots". It is to aid in pollination!

    "Steve: I commented on the dots before seeing the pictures. I thought you were talking about he dots on the petioles. The dots on the spadix are from an accumulation of resin. The resin gets on the beetles and makes them sticky so that when they leave they can carry away the pollen which otherwise won’t stick to their bodies.

    Tom "



    And thanks Ed! Here is the midnight shot. Next one at 1:30AM.

    Obviously, the ant attractant is coming out even more! But my question is where are all my ants that were all over this spathe and spadix earlier today?
     

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    Last edited: Jun 6, 2008
  4. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    Its going berko (crazy) mate!!
    I wondered what you were doing up so late. It is 2:50pm over here...

    Ed
     
  5. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    oh, SO very cool, steve!!! thanks for sharing it with us!!!
     
  6. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    This is a work of love and curiosity for me! I'll be whipped tomorrow though! No wonder some "people" think I'm, well, "crazy".
     
  7. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    *waves to ed*

    it's just hitting 1 a.m. where i am...steve is in an earlier time zone...
     
  8. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Post removed by poster.
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2008
  9. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    G'day joclyn!!
    Goodnight Steve (sounds like the Waltons) LOL
     
  10. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    yes, it does, doesn't it?? LOL

    well, time for me to head off to sleep myself, i'll catch additional pics tomorrow.

    g'day ed!!

    and steve, i hope you manage to get SOME sleep in between your fun of watching this spadix do it's thing!! i'm assuming you're going to try hand-pollinating, too?? no need to wish you a good night...you're having a blast already!! :)
     
  11. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    By the way, if you are wondering why these photos are a bit "soft", I'm doing the photography in total darkness with just one small light to help find the focus. Sometimes I can't even find the spathe! The spathe is 8 feet (well over 2.5 meters) away! I can't get any closer because my wheelchair won't float! There is a big pond between me and the spathe! I've got the assist of an infrared focuing device, but those are not totally accurate either!
     
  12. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    I forgot that the auto overhead watering system would kick in at 5:30AM! Didn't stay out long at 5:30 in the morning! It is exactly like being in the rain forest in your pajamas!

    Once the "rain" stopped this one was taken at 6:30AM. The spadix still appears just like the 1:30AM shot. I think I notice is the color of red on the spathe itself just beneath the opening to the spadix has reduced in intensity. No female flowers appear present. This is obviously going to be a two day event, perhaps longer, with the species Philodendron sagittifolium. I'll be checking every few hours for activity.

    So a couple of observations: 1) the pheromone is not apparent this morning.
    2) No thermogenic heat can be detected
    3) The red at the lip of the spathe is reduced
    4) No female flowers are present

    The spathe is obviously waiting on something to continue the cycle of reproduction. I'll guess we'll check every few hours and see what transpires.

    Now where did I put my Scarab Beetles?
     

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  13. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    At 11:50AM the spathe had rotated around 20 degrees to the left. No female flowers appear evident but the pheromone has begun to return as has thermogenic heat. The scent has changed and the mint is no longer apparent. All that is noticed now is a musky smell. Both my wife and oldest daughter could easily detect both. The heat can be felt with your hand in front of the spathe without touching anything.
     

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  14. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    it's very cool to be seeing this!!

    since you don't have any scarab beetles, are you going to do some hand pollination?
     
  15. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    No, no plans at this time. I now have at least 5 baby plants started from the adult specimen. There is a second, third and fourth spathe nearly anthesis right now. I may collect pollen from this one and store it just to see if I can cause pollination of one of the others, but no certain plans to do so.
     
  16. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    I also note that the resin is 2 different colours now, red and orange...

    Ed
     
  17. greenthumb7

    greenthumb7 Member

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    ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! It is actually dramatic, can't wait for the next photo's. Getting to see this and hear the observations as they are happening is REAL treat. Thanks so much for the effort to get this to us as its happening. Can't wait for the next "installment!"
     
  18. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Ed, I think the "orange" is only where I touched it and made it thin. I tasted it but it is not tasty. It is very slightly mint but more bitter than mint!
     
  19. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    I would have sworn I published these around 7:00PM but they don't show up. Here goes again!

    Here's the latest images.

    These were taken at 6:30PM on Saturday. The spathe has now rotated to a 45 degree angle on the axil. It also appears to be slightly closing. Go compare it to the previous photo to see the difference.

    I have read in some material the spathe actually closes around the beetles and they do the work of pollination inside the closed tube. If this is the case with this species, I have no idea since I'm simply observing. Anyone with more knowledge is welcome to fill in the blanks.

    The pheromone is now only slight and no thermogenic heat can be felt on the hand. The scent is of a slight musk combined with a small amount of mint. I'm going to try for one more set around 10:00PM but I've been up for nearly 38 hours trying to capture this. Hopefully I'll get another good set. No female flowers can be observed as far as I can tell.
     

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  20. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    I'd say Scarabs are definitely the pollinator; I pulled a gigantazor one off a P. scandens (or whatever) inflorescence this afternoon to see how the pollen was adhering to it, and where. My pics didn't turn out, but the sappy type stuff seems to catch on the bristles that run along the lower side of the carapace, and small amounts on the hairs of the hind two pairs of legs. It was also eating a fair amount of pollen.

    I should note that the beetle was pretty groggy when I picked him up... He may have spent the night in the inflorescence.

    The type of beetle in the picture is the type I see on Philos all the time, and the type I pulled off and inspected today.
     

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  21. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    Pollination researchers have confirmed that almost all Philodendron are often visited by the male of a beetle species found within the genus Neelia, although these beetles do not appear to feed nor mate on the inflorescence. It appears only larger beetles actually do the work of pollination. The pollinators appear to be members of subfamily Dynastinae in the family Scarabaeidae. Many belong to the genus Cyclocephala and have been recorded as pollinators of both Philodendron and other aroid genera. They often bring along a mate for the purpose of conception within the spadix. Up to 200 beetles have been observed in the wild on a single spathe! Can you imagine? The typical number is closer to 6 to 8.

    Some of these beetles are not particularly species specific and visit more than a single Philodendron species, however it is surmised the height of the plant may be a particular attractant to individual beetles thus causing them not to cross pollinate other Philodendron. Those beetles are generally drawn to the Philodendron inflorescence in the late day or at dusk and are attracted by a combination of pheromones (scent) and a source of food and shelter which is composed at least in part of an oil produced on the staminate flowers containing lipids along with the enclosure of the spathe. Shelter may play a part since the male often brings along his mate in order to breed at the same time.

    As to which beetle pollinates this species, I haven't the slightest idea!
     
  22. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Neat! I was just curious about how the pollen adherence thing worked.
     
  23. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    From several sources it can be the shape of the insect, what they have come in contact with, the resin the plant produces at female anthesis, and several other factors.
     
  24. edleigh7

    edleigh7 Well-Known Member

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    I've just realised that I have been calling greenthumbs75 Tere, when it is actually greenthumbs7!! My mistake...
     
  25. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    9:30PM Saturday night. Last ones tonight unless I wake up in the middle of the night!

    Does anyone see what I see happening to the color red? It appears to be lightening. The rotation continues. The mint smell to the pheromone is stronger while the musk is weaker. No female flowers ever observed. My guess is if beetles were present they would be taking up residence inside for the night. Free warm hotel if you will. I don't know if i'll see female anteses or pollination. The spathe is closing.
     

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