ISHS Acta Horticulturae 486: II International Symposium on Ornamental Palms & other Monocots from the Tropics
PHOTOPERIODISM IN THE GENUS HELICONIA AND ITS EFFECT UPON SEASONAL FLOWERING |
| Authors: | R.A. Criley, W.S. Sakai, S. Lekawatana, E. Kwon |
| Keywords: | Heliconia stricta, Heliconia angusta, Heliconia wagneriana, Christmas heliconia, photoperiod |
| Abstract:
Although Heliconia is a tropical genus, many species evidence highly seasonal patterns of flowering. Some cases have been attributed to seasonal rainfall, but our work has demonstrated that H. Wagneriana and H. stricta 'Dwarf Jamaican' are short day (SD) species while H. angusta initiates its flowers during long days (LD). H. stricta 'Dwarf Jamaican' initiates its flowers when its pseudostem has 3 unfurled leaf blades. Anthesis is reached 15 to 19 weeks after the start of SD. daylengths exceed 13.3 hours and requires 15 to 17 weeks of long days to reach anthesis. Grower shipping records have been used to identify other species with marked seasonality. The results of our studies may be used to manipulate flowering times to advance or extend normal flowering periods. | |
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