-- Rick Walker> Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 21:07:07 +0800 (SST) > From: SLH International Architects <cseow@singnet.com.sg> > Subject: Re: greatings from the rainy > To: kevin.snively@pstbbs.com Hi Kevin! I just got back from a fantasticamagormic field trip through SE Malaysia. All this stuff I'm writing to you now may be posted public, as I haven't figured out nor have the time to do so. OK, I back packed with two Singaporean Profs over the Hara Raya Holiday this past weekend and a bit. These guys have caught the bug! We've been exploring everything and anything that resembles Nepenthes territory. The beauties are really quite easy to locate. On a more scientific basis, I've been collecting pitchers (only, not plants) of the many variations of ampullaria, gracilis, and rafflesiana...you have to see my photos to appreciate the spectrum of colour, size and vigor. I plan to write into CPN shortly of all my hypotheses -- plant colour based on sunlight intensity (e.g., exposed to direct sunshine does not always bleach a plant leaf...the green (chlorophyl content) are sometimes still goes quite strong) and perhaps more interesting, the more sunlight does not necessarily encourage a plant to produce more red colour. I believe a lot of it has to do with genetics, and I have seen all green (yellow) forms growing in exposed areas and at the same time, all red forms growing in filtered shade. Although in general, plants exposed to sunshine do produce more red pigment. Perhaps it's the light intensity coupled with the genetic triggers that encourage this. I like to put a damper on the debate regarding hybrid vigour. We've explored well over 100 sites over a major stretch of the Malaysian coast and finding hybrids of the various species is very difficult. Believe me, when we find a site, you either get a few scattered representatives (e.g. xhookeriana) or you find a major population of the hybrids, perhaps I meant rarity as opposed to hybrid vigour. Yes the hybrids asre larger in size, but generally they are very rare and small in population. We've found upper ampullaria pitchers, again I'd say one plant in over 10,000 and a plant which I have read reference about, but never actually scientifically or plainly published. I'm refering to the hybrid xrafflesiana by gracilis. Can anyone out there inform me if this natural hybrid (not the man made ones) have been documented and published in any journal? If not, I'd like to invite my colleague Dr Tan to publish his find. This hybrid was one of our main goals. That is, to find this elusive hybrid. Of the over 100 sites, we found only three specimens in separate isolated areas, what I mean is that they were the only representative in that area. Well I'm off to put cream for my sunburn and mosquito bites ( and leach bites). I'm heading off to look for albomariginata variations and macfarlanii, sanguinea, reiwartiana et al next week. My Borneo trip has been postponed, but I will be visiting Bako national park and Gunung Trusmadi. Since I'm now living in this part of the world, I must admit I miss my sarracenias but I must apologize to my colleagues out there who I can not return replys to their inquiries. I always try to answer all letters but I'm lazy at writing so I do it in spurts. Give me a little bit of time and I get to you. Till next time, and pardon my grammar as I'm writing everything off the top of my head.