There are a variety of differences---check Taylor's work. If you can't get
to it, I can summarize. I'm pretty sure that all three Utrics (multifida,
tenella, and westonii) behave as annuals. I'm trying to see if I can get
leaf cuttings of U. multifida to take but am not being too lucky yet.
>I'm also interested to have some tropical species. How to get seeds?
> Pekka Ala-Siuru
If nobody else will help you on this, I could send you some...
Doug: Good to hear about the success on the bog trip. It's always a lot of
fun for me to go bogging. I also find bogging helps me grow plants because
I can see how the plants grow in the wild. Also, when you see the variety of
plants in the wild, you realize that the many "giant" or "dwarf" etc forms
people grow are not so unusual. Interesting observation on the absence of
seedling activity. Sometimes seedlings are very difficult to find, or colonize
only special places. Could be the plant is reproducing only vegetatively.
While seeds will usually ripen in the fall, I think you're right to have
a struggling conscience. S. purpurea is so easily available, it is pretty
questionable to field collect. Still, better seeds than a plant, especially
if the seed production is copious.
Re: Triphyiophyllum peltatum (sp?): My understanding is this plant lives in
a part of Africa (Liberia, Ivory Coast) which is about 90% deforested. It
is likely this plant will go extinct before its cultivation is sufficiently
understood. I see in the next issue of CPN we should hear more about this.
>Note for BAMR: I've got some seed set on U. calycifica 'purple-veins',
>and I seem to remember that you were interested in seeing if it would
>breed true... Was it this plant, or some other Utric?
Thanks, but I've finally gotten my seeds from this plant to germinate, and
they bred true, which indicates the genetics on it are pretty pure. Now I'm
trying to nurse along a seedling of U. calycifida `spotted-flower' to see
if the same holds for it.
>Can anybody provide information on Pinguicula villosa ?
Randy Lamb recently published a fine piece of work on this species in
Canada, including weather data, cultural hints, and photos. It appeared in
the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, about a year ago.
Regarding Drosophyllum temperature extremes. I grow this plant (somewhat
unsuccessfully) in Arizona, in 5-gallon buckets filled with 50/50 sand/peat.
My cohort Paul McMillan and I have found the plants can take a light frost
(especially seedlings) but this should be avoided. The plants begin to show
adverse affects to high temperature around 33 C (90 F) and start to die when
the temperature hits 38 C (100 F).
Wow! I'm really impressed this list is growing so quickly. There are a lot of
CPers on it, and I'm glad to see such a diversity of people. It's come a long
way since the dark ages when Rob Maharajh, Michael Chamberland and I used to
exchange email messages. As other things in my life (work, CPN articles, the
increasing plant collection, snail-mail correspondence, and my wife coming back
from Physical Therapy school upstate in a few months (yay!)) demand more time,
I'm going to be contributing less and less to this group. I still read all the
messages, but don't have time to respond to all the ones I'd like. Still, I see
that most of the time they get answered by others. Of course, whenever anyone
mentions Utrics my ears perk up! And if I strongly disagree with some point
or if someone directly asks me a question to rattle my cage, I'll rouse from
my terminal-torpor.
Keep on Growing!
Barry