Shoot variation on same plant

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grabhorn
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Location: Olympia, WA

Shoot variation on same plant

Post by grabhorn »

Hello, all. My Ph. aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis' is shooting, and I'm seeing a pattern similar to what I saw a couple of weeks ago on my Ph. edulis 'Gold Stripe.' The first shoots - seen to the left in the photo below - are very "pointy," having almost no sheath blades, where the shoots that came a few days later - to the right - have pronounced sheath blades. In addition, on both plants, the early, bladeless shoots are growing very slowly (if at all), while the bladed ones are soaring.

Is there a known functional difference between the two? Are the bladeless ones confused rhizomes? They're very upright, not looking to me like whip shoots, but I'm new enough to this to be unsure. Just curious.
2017AureocaulisShoots.resized.jpg
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needmore
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Re: Shoot variation on same plant

Post by needmore »

I've seen what you describe but have never associated anything that happens next. Perhaps keep an eye and see if one style aborts and the other doesn't or something? Agree those do not appear to be rhizomes. I had Phy viridis once produce a shoot that was striped with white and bright green and prominent oral setae whereas all the rest of the shoots had no oral setae and the usual coloration, the culm turned out to be very viridis like.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Alan_L
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Re: Shoot variation on same plant

Post by Alan_L »

I have this happening right now on Ph. atrovaginata and Ph. virella -- the first shoots are pointy like that. They're a little bit early, and the "normal" shoots should appear soon. I've just thought they were rhizomes, but perhaps not. They seem to be coming out for me at a more rhizome-like angle.
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