Have you heard of Chimera?

I wonder if you have heard of the word "chimera or chimeras" in relation to plants! It originated from Greek mythology of a legendary beast made up of parts of several different animals. In plants, it usually refers to single organisms composed of two genetically different types of tissues. We commonly refer or use the word 'variegation' instead of chimera. This condition either appears naturally as mutations or induced in the laboratory in tissue culture or through genetic manipulations. Ornamental plants usually increase its aesthetic value with these conditions. 

White portions without chlorophyll cannot stand alone without the presence of tissues with green food manufacturing structures. Hence, these variegated plants are normally slower in growth than normally green plants. The following photos show some common plants with chimeric characteristics. 

Top and below photos show that even the inflorescence show some variegation.

Caladium is a very beautiful example of plants with chimera. These are just a few of the variegation evolving in this genus. 

The above variegated plants are now famous as landscaping materials.  top left: Picara (Excoecaria cochinchinensis); bottom left: bougainvillea; the 3 i forgot the names

Propagation in these plants is usually best carried out through asexual or vegetative means. Sexual reproductions will not produce the desired characteristics. I had posted before the bougainvillea with both white and red flowers as in Bougainvillea sp. 'Mary Palmer'. I said that to get both colors, the stem with white flowers should be used. Otherwise, if stem with red colors will be planted, mostly red flowers will show in the newly propagated plant. This also happens in leaf propagation of variegated Sansevieria species with green and yellow leaf margins (below). Since the plantlet sprouts from the base of the middle portion of the leaf where the midrib is, then only the green color will develop in the plantlet. Therefore, in this types only runners or suckers must be used in propagation to get those with yellow margins. I have tried many times using this leaves, and only green plantlets develop from leaves.

The plants shown above are all in our property, and the caladiums are just growing anywhere as volunteer plants.