Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
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Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
Why do some plants that are normally solitary in habitat cluster freely in cultivation. Why does less intense light, more water and food lead to offsetting? I have seen Aylostera pygmaea in Argentina, all small, tight, solitary plants covered in sand with just the top of their single body poking above soil line but seed from these plants has produced heavily clustering plants. Why is this?
BCSS no.33806
Turbinicarpus, Lophophora, Ariocarpus, Lobivia and Gymnocalycium
Turbinicarpus, Lophophora, Ariocarpus, Lobivia and Gymnocalycium
- ralphrmartin
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Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
A response to much greater amounts of nutrient and water?
Ralph Martin
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https://www.rrm.me.uk/Cacti/cacti.html
Members visiting the Llyn Peninsula are welcome to visit my collection.
Swaps and sales at https://www.rrm.me.uk/Cacti/forsale.php
My Field Number Database is at https://www.fieldnos.bcss.org.uk
- el48tel
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Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
Less moisture evaporated from a potentially smaller surface to volume ratio?
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
- Ali Baba
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Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
Plant growth is very dependent on environmental factors, especially nutrients and water. Compare an oak in a woodland with one growing on a drystone wall. The latter will be starved of nutrients and have more stress from drought. As a result it will have fewer shorter branches than the woodland oak. The same is true of cacti, more water and food = bigger cacti with more branches
Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
According to this viewtopic.php?f=36&t=171954 it's so that they can gather in a pack and go hunting.
Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
But why does a cactus that is single headed in habitat cluster in cultivation? Why should more water and nutrients provoke this? If it was as simple as that they all would do it and they don't.
BCSS no.33806
Turbinicarpus, Lophophora, Ariocarpus, Lobivia and Gymnocalycium
Turbinicarpus, Lophophora, Ariocarpus, Lobivia and Gymnocalycium
Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
No, this is one individual plant with many branches and the other thread references co-operation between different individuals. Quite a different circumstance.FredG wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 7:25 pm According to this viewtopic.php?f=36&t=171954 it's so that they can gather in a pack and go hunting.
Asclepiomaniac. Armchair ethnobotanist.
Occasional, eclectic blogger:
http://pattheplants.blogspot.com/
Occasional, eclectic blogger:
http://pattheplants.blogspot.com/
Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
Nonsense is nonsense Pat
- el48tel
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Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
Isn't branching influenced by gibberellins which control branching and seed growth? Can't these hormones be secreted out by one plant, and taken in by neighbouring plants? So one plant branching could cause others to follow suit.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
Re: Why do some plants cluster in cultivation?
I am wondering if you read the journal article rather than just the sensational headline that substituted hunt for trap. What you wrote here was nonsense (or absurdist comedy, if you prefer), theirs was the result of research.
Asclepiomaniac. Armchair ethnobotanist.
Occasional, eclectic blogger:
http://pattheplants.blogspot.com/
Occasional, eclectic blogger:
http://pattheplants.blogspot.com/