Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 23:10:56 EST From: CMDodd@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg364$foo@default> Subject: Re: N. clipeata and/or its hybrid
Dear Nepenthophiles,
Concerning the ID of the N. clipeata that are beginning to show up from
T/C in collections, I have a few of these plants from three different
sources and will comment on their physical appearance after a brief
discussion on their origins as far as I understand them. All three of these
plants had their origin in seed produced at Munich Botanic Gardens, Germany.
The story goes that Munich had both a male and a female N. clipeata in
flower, and pollinated some (unknown) percentage of the female inflorescence
with the male and another percentage with another species, of who's ID I am
uncertain. At some point either the lables were lost or the seed gathered by
someone unaware of the mixed origin of the seed pods and the seed was all
thrown together.
I was sent 15 seeds by Munich "half" (7/8) of the seeds were sent to John
de Kanel and the other half to Atlanta Botanic Gardens to tissue culture.
Given the high mortality of seedlings I did not want to take a chance on
killing them. Unfortunately the point was moot as the seed was appearantly
killed en route from Germany. John later received more of the seed himself
as did Andreas Wistuba, and this time the seed was viable. I believe ABG
later got seed or more likely T/C plants from Andreas. I received plants
directly from ABG, John and indirectly from Andreas (thank you Jeff!).
As to the plants, all three did/do not produce every leaf as a peltate
leaf when young. Young plants may produce peltate or deeply truncated "v" or
heart shaped leaves until a few inches across. One leaf type may follow
another only to revert back in the next, but finally they seem to settle into
the peltate type. The plants from John tend to be more robust, they need to
reach about 12 inches in diameter before they show any peltate insertion of
the tendril which is about 1/6 of the way in from the leaf tip. The new
leaves are a cherry red color, unique to be sure. The are somewhat square in
outline. The pitchers are typical of the species as far as I can tell, high
vaulted concave lid, bulbous base, constriced middle and tapering funnel
shaped neck. Entire pitcher is tomentose (furry). Color is green with
purplish mottling. The plants from Andreas and ABG are slower of growth.
They tend to develop the peltate character at 4" across. The tendril
insertion is nearly in the center of the leaf. The leaf is oval in outline
and somewhat depressed in the center like a very shallow funnel. The pitcher
is less colorful so far, being more green with less spotting. It too is
'fuzzy'.
Whether these plants represent hybrid vs. species is difficult to say.
N. clipeata has been so rare in collections that these were the first living
plants of it I had ever seen. They may represent variation within a species.
The difference in growth could also indicate hybrid vigor but I certainly do
not believe any deception as to the ID is the case, especially given the
difficulty involved with the seed's origin. (All the seeds I saw looked
remarkably alike!)
I will say that both of these specimen types are well worth cultivating.
Despite its scarcity in the wild, it does not appear to be a difficult plant
to grow, and anyone who can grow N. truncata or veitchii well should have no
problems with it.
Cliff
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:35:05 PST