Latex

Propagation and reproduction

Category: Cutting, Propagation, and Tree | Related terms: Cuttings and Propagation

Plumeria Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid also found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms). It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins, and gums that coagulate on exposure to air.

Latex is usually exuded after tissue injury, plumeria latex is white.

Since the 17th century, latex has been used as a term for the fluid substance in plants. It serves mainly as defense against herbivorous insects. Latex is not to be confused with plant sap; it is a separate substance, separately produced, and with separate functions.

Latex is the stable dispersion (emulsion) of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic. It can be made synthetically by polymerizing a monomer such as styrene that has been emulsified with surfactants.

Plumeria Database context: Latex can relate to cuttings, rooting, grafting, seed pods, seedlings, or pollination. These details help explain how a plumeria is reproduced and whether a plant is a clone, a seedling, or a grafted plant.

What to look for: Record whether the observation came from a cutting, grafted plant, seedling, pod parent, or pollen parent. Propagation notes are useful, but they should be kept separate from visual identification traits.

Identification note: This term is one clue. A plumeria should be compared using all available traits, photos, source history, and growing context rather than a single characteristic.