Peter_out

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this thread but the botanical pedant in me just can't help pointing out that there are no bipinnate or even pinnate leaves in any of these pictures. The leaves of Catha seem to be serrulate to serrated & either alternate or opposite depending on maturity or growth phase.. A quick search for these terms will clarify this for those not familiar with botanical terminology. ;-)

I have a hint for all the budding Micropropagators watching this topic. All the info you need re techniques, materials & machinery is out there in super abundance. You just have to search. I made my first home made laminar flow cabinet in the 1970s & it served for 20 years. Then I bought a huge 2.4m long double filter job which you could lay a sterile human in (overkill) ! But the thing I wanted to offer is the most effective chemical I found for inducing somatic embryos from undifferentiated callus & other organs: Paclobutrazol it is a chemical used in mainstream agriculture for manipulation of crops in various ways. It is very powerful, quite toxic so some say but very effective. It is apparently a Gibberellin antagonist as Cytokinins are Auxin antagonists & vica versa. It has a remarkable effect on tissue in vitro in very very low concentrations in the presence of rooting & shooting 'hormones' & on its own. Any one who is really serious about propagation in vitro should get some & try it in combination with other growth factors & alone. But remember in very tiny amounts. Cheers