Vines and Climbers: Aristolochia ridicula, 1 by LouisianaMark

LouisianaMark wrote:
When I went out Friday morning to check the second bud, I thought it looked pretty big. I got up this morning and it had opened. The petals are more curved under than the first one. I couldn't detect any smell on it either, but as always I was pretty congested.

I've been able to track down some botany journal articles on various Aristolochia, and one of them stated that ridicula in self-incompatible. Bummer, cause the one I'm growing from seed is only a week old, and it may be a few months before it flowers. The articles state that it is possible to hand pollinate most Aristolochia--usually by cutting a small hole or window at the base of the flower. The anthers and stigma in Aristolochia are fused into a structure called the gynostemium, which is located at the base of the flower where it connects to the stem. Day 1 flowers have receptive stigma(e), but no pollen. The pollen is not released until day 2. When the pollen is released, the stigma are no longer receptive. So day 1 flowers are "female", and day 2 flowers are "male". When the next flower opens, I am going to cut a window into the base and take some pics of the gynostemium.

Here's a pic of "flower" #2:

Mark