Date: Thu, 04 May 2000 11:52:21 +1000 From: Miguel de Salas <mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1389$foo@default> Subject: Re: Sarracenia growth defects
At 06:41 PM 03-05-2000 -0700, you wrote:
>I have around 18 mixed Sarr's. About 1/2 of them are experiencing
>some kind of growth defect that they did not exhibit last year.
>They are all currently sending up their first crop of pitchers for
>the year (I am in MO, USA, btw). The growth defect I am witnessing
>is in the still-developing shoots. In all cases, the part of the
>shoot that becomes the lid is either twisted or laterally concaved.
>In the extreme, I have a xJudith Hindle in which the still
>developing lids are at a 90-degree angle to where they should be.
>Other than that, everything else seems normal. As I said, it's only
>occurring in approx. 1/2 of them. Their coloration seems normal.
>I find an occasional aphid (they grow outdoors), but they instantly
>become a meal for the nearest sundew. No other insects are seen,
>other than collembola in the peat. The pitchers haven't gotten to
>the "opening" point yet, so it remains to be seen if it will carry
>over at that time. The only thing my limited knowledge tells me is
>that it could possibly b e a virus. Any one here have any idea what
>could be going on? Thanks to any and all information. ------Aaron
>Carlson
Aaron,
Have these pitchers all started developing almost simultaneously after
dormancy? If so, a cold snap after the plants come out of dormancy can
often cause the developing pitchers to stop growing, and eventually emerge
slightly deformed. If the pitchers are emerging gradually, then the above
is not likely to be the case, but as you say, wait and see :)
Miguel de Salas
School of Plant Science,
University of Tasmania,
PO Box 252-55, Sandy Bay, Hobart
Tasmania, Australia, 7001.
mailto://mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au
My Moths Page:
http://members.xoom.com/migueldes/moths/moths.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:35:08 PST