IMHO, Sarracenia seem to be one of the more tenuously
understood genera. Below is what our esteemed collegue
Barzai had to say about it in years past. I'd point out
that there are also cultivars, seldom sold on the open
market right now, and other clones wich growers have named,
such as S. leuc "Larrys Ghost". I kid you not :-).
Robert
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For your Sarracenia info....
alata-------no phyllodia
flava-------straight phyllodia formed
leucophylla-straight phyllodia formed
minor-------no phyllodia
oreophila---sharply curved phyllodia formed
psitticina--no phyllodia
purpurea----no phyllodia
rubra-------no phyllodia formed, but in some plants (esp. ssp.
alabamensis) there are two types of pitchers formed. Spring and late summer.
The leaves on my plants that don't produce phyllodia stay all winter, as long
as they aren't exposed to frost. During the winter, they slowly die back and
I trim off the dead stuff periodically. If my plants die back during this time
any more than 1 inch or so in a week, I keep an eye on them. If they don't
brown before they die back, i.e. the withered leaves have chlorophyll in them,
it is a sign of drying out.
Barry
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Sarracenia Species
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Before I got the bad name of being crazed for Utricularia, I used
to be the email Sarracenia fanatic (fighting with Rob M for the title)
I've spent some energy amassing a very nice Sarracenia collection,
and here is a rudimentary description of their status. The ones that
I list as a colour variant are just coloured different from the usual
or typical plant. I don't consider this any more profound than the
colour variations in roses, etc. and so certainly doesn't merit ssp
status.
alata
alata `pubescent' Don Schnell thinks this results from purpurea
influence. The plant breeds true.
alata `red/black'=`nigro-purpurea' gets very dark red with maturity.
alata `maroon throat' like red-black but less coloration
flava `all green' not a heterophylla plant, but with no red on mature plants
flava `rugelii' possibly a genuine natural form. Has a splotch of red on throat
flava `maxima' a large form of `rugelii.' Actually this is a cultivar, but
similar plants are often sold with this name. Very dramatic plant
flava `atropurpurea' a deep red plant, varieties are burgundy, claret, others
flava `ornata' many deep red veins on tube and hood
flava `copper-lid' self explanatory
flava `red tube/yellow lid' self explanatory
many other flava variants exist with differing amounts of veining.
leucophylla
leucophylla `alba' a genuine heterophyllous plant
minor
minor `Oke' A genuine giant type
oreophila
psittacina
psittacina `alba foliate' Just a plant Bednar sells that has little red
colour in the leaves (hence white-leaved)
psittacina `Oke' Big plant?
purpurea purpurea The northern subspecies
purpurea purpurea heterophylla The northern plant, heterophyllous
purp purp ripicola an abnormal plant grown in marl bogs (basic)
purp purp terra novae = purpurea purpurea
purpurea venosa the southern subspecies
purpurea `intergrades' hybrid between venosa and purp purp. Native to N.J.
purpurea venosa `Louis Burke' an attractive common form of venosa. Nice flowers
rubra rubra the smallest subspecies
rubra wherryi larger plant
rubra gulfensis a large gulf coast subspecies
rubra alabamensis a rare subspecies
rubra jonesii a very rare mountain subspecies
rubra jonesii heterophylla a true heterophyllous plant
Comments: There are other plants around, like purpurea venosa `Chipola'
or leucophylla `chipola' etc. These just refer to the location the plant
came from. For example, I grow a lovely plant called purpurea purpurea
`Connecticutt' that Michael C gave me. Gordon Snelling has a plant he calls
purpurea venosa heterophyllus. Now, since there is no recorded heterophyllus
form of purp venosa this is an interesting claim. I've discussed this plant
with Gordon and he's described a very attractively coloured plant. My
advice to the Sarracenia shopper is talk to the seller and find out why the
plants are named as they are. Also, find the location of origin for each plant
you get (like, Yellow River, Chipola, etc). I grow every plant on the above
list with the exceptions of purp purp ripicola, leucophylla alba, and
psittacina giant. But soon...soon...
In summary, the SPECIES of Sarracenia are...
alata
flava
leucophylla
minor
oreophila
psittacina
purpurea purpurea
venosa
rubra rubra
gulfensis
jonesii
alabamensis
wherryi
But some would break the `rubra complex' up differently, creating a new
species...
rubra rubra
gulfensis
jonesii
alabamensis alabamensis
wherryi
BAMR