Need help with flower parts idenification.

Randy4ut · 09-10-2008, 10:17 AM

OK,
This may sound stupid to some of you, but I gotta ask for help, here. For those of you who see this all the time should be able to help me out. I have a Musa siamensis 'Thai Gold' that is blooming and I have been cross pollinating it with Musa velutina pollen. The first 4 sets of blooms all looked alike and I was able to pollinate them. Today, I have a couple of new sets of blooms that look different to me and I wondered if they were the male flowers already coming out. Please take a look at the pictures below, and let me know what you think. The first two pics are the ones that I pollinated with the velutina and you can see where I pollinated them. The last three pics are the ones I took today and looked differently. Please help me out here!!! Thanks in advance!!!

Okay, here are the new blooms opening today...

Someone, please tell me I am not crazy and there is a difference!!!

Bananaman88 · 09-10-2008, 11:29 AM

They definitely look different to me.

Randy4ut · 09-10-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bananaman88

They definitely look different to me.

Thanks, Brent... I am glad to hear I ain't going crazy with this. But at the same time, are the blooms in the last three pics male flowers? Gotta guess?

Gabe15 · 09-10-2008, 12:39 PM

Yes, those are the male flowers. There is a non-functional vestigial stigma in the male flower, so this can lead to confusion sometimes in the flower ID, but you can clearly see the anthers present that were not there before in the female flowers (though they are present in those species whose basal flowers are bisexual, such as M. velutina). Also, the ovaries are much smaller and will never develop into fruit.

Randy4ut · 09-10-2008, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

Yes, those are the male flowers. There is a non-functional vestigial stigma in the male flower, so this can lead to confusion sometimes in the flower ID, but you can clearly see the anthers present that were not there before in the female flowers (though they are present in those species whose basal flowers are bisexual, such as M. velutina). Also, the ovaries are much smaller and will never develop into fruit.

Hey Gabe,
I appreciate you chiming in to this one. I figured with the time difference you would probably see this later in the day and I was right. I appreciate your input and again, I am glad I am not seeing things and seeing it for what it was...

scottdurand · 06-13-2009, 02:54 PM

I have been looking for a good thread on pollination tips and was curious if there is already a thread on the subject that might have some illustrations?

09-10-2008, 10:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
Randy4ut Randy4ut's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,387 BananaBucks : 81,008 Feedback: 23 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,051 Times Was Thanked 1,324 Times in 444 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 87 Times	Need help with flower parts idenification. OK, This may sound stupid to some of you, but I gotta ask for help, here. For those of you who see this all the time should be able to help me out. I have a Musa siamensis 'Thai Gold' that is blooming and I have been cross pollinating it with Musa velutina pollen. The first 4 sets of blooms all looked alike and I was able to pollinate them. Today, I have a couple of new sets of blooms that look different to me and I wondered if they were the male flowers already coming out. Please take a look at the pictures below, and let me know what you think. The first two pics are the ones that I pollinated with the velutina and you can see where I pollinated them. The last three pics are the ones I took today and looked differently. Please help me out here!!! Thanks in advance!!! Okay, here are the new blooms opening today... Someone, please tell me I am not crazy and there is a difference!!! __________________

09-10-2008, 11:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 218,330 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Need help with flower parts idenification. They definitely look different to me.

09-10-2008, 12:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,342,163 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,240 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Need help with flower parts idenification. Yes, those are the male flowers. There is a non-functional vestigial stigma in the male flower, so this can lead to confusion sometimes in the flower ID, but you can clearly see the anthers present that were not there before in the female flowers (though they are present in those species whose basal flowers are bisexual, such as M. velutina). Also, the ovaries are much smaller and will never develop into fruit. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

06-13-2009, 02:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
scottdurand scottdurand's Photo Gallery Location: Lafayette, La Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 128 BananaBucks : 37,711 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 32 Times Was Thanked 99 Times in 29 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Need help with flower parts idenification. I have been looking for a good thread on pollination tips and was curious if there is already a thread on the subject that might have some illustrations?

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