I wonder how they call the venation in Rhaphidophora parallel? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaphidophora To me it does not seem to be parallel. Especially in this picture of Rhaphidophora cryptantha from http://home.sandiego.edu/~kaufmann/aroids/rhaphidophora_cryptantha.htm
As I understand what I read parallel venation does not require the veins run in parallel strait lines but I'm trying to get a clarification.
None I am aware of but I know the right guy to ask. I'll send Pete Boyce this link and ask him to comment. Pete is the top aroid botanist in SE Asia and is based in Malaysia. Chances are high he can name the exact species as well. When I traded mail with him a few days ago he was trying to catch a flight to Thailand so it may be a few days but he is great about responding so I'm sure we'll hear back.
I received this from botanist Pete Boyce early this morning. I have added some notes to make sure it is easily understood by those that are not "into" botany. Pete is currently in Thailand working on a project and was able to find a hotel computer to respond but since he had a great deal of work to do his response was written somewhat technically. "Kadai’s plant is the juvenile stage of Rhaphidophora korthalsii. Rhaphidophora celatocaulis is a synonym." A synonym is just another name published by a different botanist for a previously published species. These plants are naturally variable. You can't determine the species accurately by the shape of the leaf alone. Instead, a botanist compares important characteristics including the venation, petiole, stem and inflorescence since the plant is an aroid (member of the larger family Araceae). Aroids go through morphogenesis as they grow and often change shapes. That is known as ontogeny and is the same as a baby "morphing" from birth until adulthood. A baby doesn't look like a 6 year old and a 6 year old doesn't look like a teenager. Even then humans continue to "morph" as we grow old. Plants are the same. "Venation in Rhaphidophora is not parallel. The PLVs are pinnate, with the IPV more-or-less parallel to the PLVs. All other venation is reticulate." Venation refers to the veins in the leaf blade. Species have primary lateral leaf veins (PLV), interprimary leaf veins (IPV) which are not as prominent as the primary veins, and tertiary veins which are the minor veins. Pinnate is to resemble the arrangement of a palm leaf or feather and describes a leaf that has a central axis known as a midrib with veins that branch off. "Parallel venation in its strictest sense are veins parallel and running UP the leaf, as in most grasses. Venation that is parallel but not running UP the leaf is striate. Most Philodendron are striate." This is well explained. Striate just means parallel lines. "No recorded ethnobotanical uses." By the way, if any of you have received the email about the "Rare Thailand Parrot Flower", I asked Pete last week to see if he could locate a plant in bloom since the bloom season is October and November. He is now in Chiang Mai where the species is most common in Thailand. I also asked if he can find seeds to gather a few and grow the plant in Malaysia so we can all see more photos! These links may help to explain natural variation and other characteristics: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Natural variation within aroid and plant species.html http://www.exoticrainforest.com/What is a stem. What is a petiole.html
