April flowers

Barry Meyers-Rice (barry@as.arizona.edu)
Sun, 3 Apr 94 22:58:02 MST

OK, OK, OK. So I was a big goof and bit the big one with the April 1 posting.
My thanks to Sen~or Britt for resending the note to me (I had deleted my
copy), and you can imagine my great mortification when I read the entire
posting this time, and didn't just stop at the interesting genera. I have
learned my lesson. But can I really order some of those great barrier
hedges? :)

I did a lot of poking around the greenhouse this weekend, and did my usual
spring _Sarracenia_ pollination duties. My biggest _S.oreophila_ flowered
and while there is some controversy regarding this plant's floral odor, I
did not find it difficult to detect. It does not have the super-strong
cat smell of _S.flava_, but rather a faint smell like of old tobacco.
Very strange the description to follow, but the best way I have to describe
the smell is by thinking of an old flame. She was a tobacco smoker (I'm
not), and kissing her had a certain ashy taste. That's what _S.oreophila_
smells like.

I guess all that pollinization sent my mind back to old romances. :)

I looked at my various clones of _D.peltata peltata_ and _D.peltata
auriculata_ and finally saw why the plant _D.peltata peltata_
``Multigrowth'' has that informal name attached. From the central
rosette grew an erect stem which flowered. Now several other erect
stems are appearing from the central rosette as well. They are not
branches from the main erect stem, but rather appear from the rosette.
Very interesting. I got this as a tuber from Rob Maharajh, and am
growing this along with my other clones, so it is not a difference in
cultivation. Very interesting. I wonder if seed will maintain this
behaviour. This very interesting form may be worth description as a
cultivar. I think I will grow it for another year, though. Anybody
know where this plant originates?

Barry `who means well, but is always the butt of cruel jokes' :)