One more thing. Congratulations on cultivating this difficult
Brazilian Drosera! I didn't know anyone else other than Ivan Snyder in
L.A. who cultivated this species. I'm curious to know where you got
the seeds. I thought I was the only one exporting these so I imagine you
must've gotten them from someone who got them from me or bought them from
Allen Lowrie. You say they're flowering for the 2nd year and that they're
5" high, which is around 13cm, so I'd guess they're at least 3 years old.
I've collected plants myself in the wild, some up to 40cm tall (not
counting the flower scapes), but I still haven't had much luck with them.
In fact, it seems like I have a harder time cultivating my native species
than you guys do. Maybe it's because most of the CPs here in Brazil grow in
cooler temperatures on mountain tops and your climate in the USA might be
more similar to that of D.chrysolepis' natural habitat at the Cipo Range in
Minas Gerais state (SE Brazil). Down here in S.Paulo city (around 700m
altitude) it might be too hot for them. Or maybe I'm just a stinky
cultivator!
I've noticed this also with Ivan Snyder's D.montana var.montana from
the Caraca Range, which are growing lushiously like I've never seen them
in nature! Not to mention G.violacea, which appeared in CPN a while ago
in an article on how to cultivate it. This species varies in flower
color from site to site, thus looking at the picture I knew the plants
he has were from Caraca too. The author (who's name I can't remember)
must've gotten the plants from someone who received my seeds. It's good
to know these native Brazilian species are being succesfully introduced
into the CP world!
FERNANDO RIVADAVIA
P.S. Jan Schlauer, if you read this, send me an E-mail. I've been
trying to send you E-mail but it hasn't been working for some reason.
They keep sending it back saying they couldn't find the address.