Elrik Posted August 19, 2018 When Lophs set seed without input from an outside pollen source is it actually using its own pollen and producing a recombination of its own genetics or are the female cells being induced into apomixes to produce clones in the form of seed? [This phenomena is common in cacti] I've always heard it referred to as selfing but I cant find any evidence to back that up in genus Lophophora. On the other hand I received a single fruit and got two plants from it, if I cross them I still only get 1-3 seeds per fruit and one of their offspring is now adult and backcrossing it to either parent only produces 1-3 seeds per fruit as if it were simply setting seed without pollen input. Are all my specimens from that bloodline apomictic clones? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inyan Posted August 20, 2018 Not all Lophophora are able to self-pollinate. Take this little one here for example... It and others in its geographic location are known not to self-pollinate. If one concludes that self-fertilization results in decreased fertility and lowered seed set as is often the case from the sources I have read on and that the result of outcrossing is often an increased seed set... perhaps it is simply the fact that you are rolling the dice with the same sets of chromosomes and albeit they may be more mixed up... the sets themselves have not changed as much as rolling the dice with an unrelated individual. For what its worth, crossing a Brugmansia aurea or such back to its mother repeatedly also lowers the fertility rate and eventually results in a Brugmansia that rarely if ever sets seeds to its parent if this is done for approximately 3-4 generations. Big BendHuizache La Paloma pollens all vary greatly from one another, yet they are all the same species. Then you get into some of the hybrids and the pollen changes again. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gimli Posted October 9, 2018 I've had 3 fruits from 2 L williamsii plants in the last 6 weeks but saw no flowers Torsten said give the wool a trim and upon doing so I only found 1 spent flower. Did the other 2 just pollinate itself that quick? Cool regardless Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MeanGreen Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) Those fruits most likely came from flowers that opened late last season. Every spring I get tons of fruits from that, before any flower opens. Edited October 9, 2018 by MeanGreen 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gimli Posted October 9, 2018 49 minutes ago, MeanGreen said: Those fruits most likely came from flowers that opened late last season. Every spring I get tons of fruits from that, before any flower opens. Surely not? It's been well over 6 months? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MeanGreen Posted October 9, 2018 If they've been overwintered properly, kept dry and hibernated then most definitely. The plant doesn't have the energy to push the fruit once it's going dormant so it just waits until it gets water sun and warmth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gimli Posted October 9, 2018 @MeanGreen just took this about half hour ago (wasn't there this afternoon) Peekaboo! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MeanGreen Posted October 9, 2018 Nice! First flower of the season? Nothing to do with the previous fruits though, you'll get a fruit from this one in a month or so. I swear if you were to attach a label to end of the season flowers you'd see the fruits you get in spring come from them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gimli Posted October 9, 2018 First LW flower of the season. My Jourd flowered today too! Didn't realize how good LW are as a seed factory 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites