What are the physical differences of Alocasia odora and macro?
Alocasia odora vs. macro
The true A. odora maintains leaf blades that are semi-peltate even in adulthood, while the mac has peltate leaf blades only when very young. As the mac grows, the tissue joining the two posterior lobes diminishes and disappears, leaving a v-shaped junction at the petiole with no leaf tissue between or joining the arms of the "v". This never happens with the true odora, as when mature there is always present some leaf blade tissue joining and between the veins of the posterior leaf lobes.
Also, the blooms on A. odora have a bluish matte finish, and the spathe remains upright, even after male anthesis. By contrast, in macs the blooms are shinier (not matte), not bluish, and the spathe reflexes or flops back away from the spadix at male anthesis, sometimes even coiling up somewhat as it hangs. The bloom odors are distinctively different, with A. odora having a soft fruity smell and the macs having a more pungent, less attractive scent.
In my experience, crossing a mac and an odora yields sterile or nearly sterile parents, while crossing an odora with another odora ally (such as A. gageana), yields fertile offspring.
Hope this helps,
LariAnn
Aroidia Research
This message was edited May 15, 2009 2:04 PM