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I knew the mystery would not be solved until I
measured the leaves of each hosta myself. Using a
‘Catherine’ is 4-2-2, while ‘Magic Island’ is fully dip-
loid, 2-2-2. "e di#erence in ploidy is further evident
micrometer graduated in thousandths of an inch, I
from precision measurement of the leaf thickness.
proceeded to measure the leaves from the specimen of
"e leaves of ‘Magic Island’ are not as thick as those
‘Catherine’ in my own garden. After removing some
of ‘Catherine’.
of the most mature leaves, I took measurements in
Exactly how ‘Magic Island’ mutated from ‘Cath-
several places, but always between the veins. I doc-
erine’ during the tissue-culture process is not known,
umented my !ndings: the leaves of ‘Catherine’ are
.0130 to .0145 inch (.33-.37mm) thick.
“but it is evident that a dividing cell in the L1 layer of
‘Catherine’ did not separate equally, resulting in a dip-
Next, I requested Dave and Gail Russo in Cedar-
ville, New Jersey, to send me leaves from their plant
loid sport, ‘Magic Island’.” It would be interesting to
have the other sports of ‘Catherine’—‘Party Popper’
of ‘Magic Island’, which they graciously did. My
and ‘Timeless Beauty’—tested by $ow cytometry to
suspicion was con!rmed. "e measurement of ‘Magic
see if they too are diploid, or perhaps ploidy chimeras
Island’ revealed that the leaves were only .0100 to
such as 3.5-2-2. Future research may shed additional
.0105 inch (.25-.27mm) thick. "at means that the
light on how these three cultivars each sported from
leaves of ‘Magic Island’ are about .0030 to .0040
H. ‘Catherine’.
inch (.08-.10mm) thinner than those of ‘Catherine’,
the thickness of a sheet of notebook paper. You can
actually tell the di#erence just by feeling the leaves
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
in your hand. You may also be able to tell the dif-
Don Rawson is co-chair of the AHS Nomenclature
ference by looking at the amount of slug damage in
Committee and co-editor for nomenclature in !e
your garden!
Hosta Journal. A noted hybridizer, he was editor of the
Hosta Hybridizer’s Manual and compiled Hosta Lists
Conclusion
for that website. As president of the West Michigan
While ‘Catherine’ and ‘Magic Island’ are look-alike
Hosta Society, he is co-chair of the 2021 AHS Con-
vention in Kalamazoo. He lives in Comstock Park,
sports of ‘Halcyon’, they have signi!cant di#erences.
Scienti!c examination by $ow cytometry has shown
Michigan, with his wife Pam.
Follow they are di#erent in ploidy. "e inferred ploidy of
The American Hosta Society
on Instagram!
@americanhostasociety
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16 Volume 51 Number 2
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