Chara2, Gloriosa tubers do contain plenty of colchicine, but it can be tricky getting the dosage right. According to the following review, 20 grams of tubers contains 60 milligrams of colchicine. If you do use colchicine, look for sports as well as polyploids. Sometimes chromosome doubled cells will revert to the original chromosome number by dividing again. The resulting cells probably won't be exactly like the originals. This is especially useful when working with sterile hybrids. For instance, a sterile diploid hybrid treated with colchicine can produce both tetraploid shoots, and diploid "sports" that may just as interesting. I have added this info and links to some articles on colchicine use Karl Review: Croaking on a crocus 02 February 1991 From New Scientist Print Edition. JULIE JOHNSON Toxicity of Houseplants by David G Spoerke Jr and Susan C Smolinske, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 244, $124.95/100 Pounds. Hours after cooking and eating a meal of sweet potatoes, a 28-year-old woman developed classic symptoms of poisoning. Four days later she was dead. She had mistakenly eaten tubers of the glory lily plant (Gloriosa superba), native to Africa and Asia but also grown as a houseplant in the US. Two years earlier, a 16-year-old girl died after eating 12 flowers from Colchicum autumnale, or autumn crocus. Just half a flower might have proved fatal. Both plants contain the poison colchicine (acetyltrimethylcolchicinic acid), which damages blood vessels and nerves, and stops cell division. A fatal dose of colchicine lies somewhere between 7 and 60 milligrams, not much considering that a dried seed of C autumnale can contain up to 3.5 milligrams, while as little as 20 grams of G superba tubers provide 60 milligrams. Here is a link that might be useful: Chemicals in Plant Breeding

A term once widely used was "in vitro". Googling for ~ "in vitro" "plant propagation" ~ will give you some useful links. Similarly searching for ~ micropropagation plants ~ may provide useful links. You will need to understand sterile techniques. Have you had a course in microbiology? That link above with kitchen something in the name may explain sterile techniques. It is really a lot of fun.

Manuel, it isn't "down". They had a medical situation about six weeks ago and had to suspend business. They hope to have an auction beginning this coming weekend and adding new plant material. My comment is directed at anyone who wants to join the group order. Things move quickly... 24 ~ 36 hours and the order will be placed. If you haven't looked over their plants material, it could be an overwhelming task at the last moment. Please keep in mind: 1. NO CITES PLANTS, 2. You'll want an order sheet from me, 3. Payment using Paypal® and their USD/€ conversion with Friends/Family IN EUROS., 4. For the most part we usually only order Haworthia. If you don't have a Paypal® account and/or don't have Euros as a currency, you'll have to make some adjustments. These aren't my rules; they are rules made by STC and/or Paypal®.

I'm sure the global nursery trade will be pleased to hear they have your endorsement to carry on with tissue culture, Mike. As to 'the rare plant chase' that can only exist if gullible fools participate in it. If one disapproves don't join in.