heat producing flowers

[ThunderIdeal]

i just wonder if this small heat source could be made useful

"The spadix of some aroids produces a remarkable amount of heat during cold weather. In fact, the temperature of the spadix can be up to 30 degrees Celsius above a cool air temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. This may stimulate the activity of pollinator insect visitors and help to vaporize the stench of the flowers. The heat mechanism may involve male flowers packed around the spadix. In some species in which the upper part of the spadix is sterile (flowerless), the heat mechanism appears to be in the cells of this sterile tissue. Like heat-producing tissue in mammals, the cells in these flowers rapidly oxidize lipids and carbohydrates, thus releasing heat. Heat production in aroids is discussed in a fascinating article by R.S. Seymour in Scientific American, March 1997."

[Teotzlcoatl]

Interesting... but what could we use it for?

Would a small grove of these plants around your house keep you warm in winter (or perhaps slightly warmer, supplementing another heat source)?

[ThunderIdeal]

i seriously doubt it could be used to heat anything but a tiny pocket of air around it.

*shrugs*

it's a very small amount of energy being created but if you utilise it correctly, that's FREE energy. i can't think of a use, maybe help keep your quails warm in winter? if a small cover eg a bucket was placed over the flowers at night, the air in that bucket is bound to stay warmer than the air outside.

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

It just helps the fragrance spread which attracts the nocturnal pollinators. My Philodendrons smell beautiful at night thanks to this interesting phenomenon. As for an energy source, well I guess it's solar energy to begin with, this is converted to a lesser amount of chemical energy and oxidization is the actual reaction whereby the heat is released. Chemical reactions so often give off heat, pretty nifty for a plant tho.

Reminds me of the little glowing mushies that only begin to glow after the caps open, (allowing the oxygen in). The energy here is stored in the wood that the fungi has colonised. Once again originating as solar energy.

[ThunderIdeal]

yep, i never actually thought it was pulling zero-point energy but thanks for pointing out the flowers reason to produce heat.

i was more wondering if it could be used for some small purpose for human endeavors. somebody posted about how they ran pipes from the middle of their compost heap to warm up their seed trays.

[TheFriendlyPlanter]

Yeah I know...Just adding my 2 cents I guess.

I heard people used to use compost heaps as heat beds in the old days. Hmmm, I HAVE a steaming heap of mulch, and I'm also trying to germinate a few pots full of seeds. Now if I was a bit smarter I'd have sat the pots in the mulch heap by now. A missed opportunity if I've ever seen one.

As for the flowers, one down the pants could make a good dick-warmer on one of those cold lonely nights in the jungle.

[ThunderIdeal]

that's the best idea so far.

[coco]

didn't know about these flowers, maybe if scaled up they could provide enough energy to heat a flat :D

[Monk]

/me fantasizes about using these aroids in green roof and green wall plantings to obscure certain heat signatures

[Teotzlcoatl]

me fantasizes about using these aroids in green roof and green wall plantings to obscure certain heat signatures

Damn excellent idea! If you got some grow lights inside, plant some of these as a hedge around your home!

[mescalito]

Oddly enough a mate of mine has been studying subtle energies for quite some time now, and told me about some mushrooms that hunters would cup their hands over to warm themselves.

Further research shows that there is a cavity resonance effect at play.

Certain cavity structures have also been shown to exert an ant-gravity type effect i.e.insect wings.

He also reports that studies were done using an egg container or bee-hive type plate placed above the subjects head at a certain distance.The results were amazing,as this structure caused mental discomfort,even short term psychosis.

If we see the pyramids as a type of cavity structure,subtle energies are focused at different wavelengths at different distances....the ark of the covenant,King's tombs.....have a long think about the ramifications and original plans for these structures

[ThunderIdeal]

fascinating.

[stiched up]

ha itd be funny if the pollen was itchy !!!

but thanks for the info i might look into this to warm a greenhouse during winter i get frosts alot

whats the plant name again??

cheers