> After my (fairly) recent cavort into the US of A last month, I'm back
> in the UK. After listening in for all of January, I have a few
> questions. Most of these, I'll mail next week (after my CP and myself
> are finally re-united!). For starters: Utriculata. What is the
> biggest trap size found for this genus?
About 5mm diameter is the biggest I've heard of, on U. humboldtii
and vulgaris (though my vulgaris has never made any more than 2mm.)
> I'm intrigued by them, and
> the possibility of growing them. *But* they aren't worth the effort
> (IMO) unless the traps are visible with the naked eye, and can be
> demonstrated (not necessarily "manually") to the lay-person.
The traps are certainly ingenious and impressive when magnified,
but the real excuse for growing them has to be the flowers, which
are without exception beautiful. Who needs orchids? (no, I don't
really want to know :) Many Utrics are extremely easy and flower
virtually all year round. The other excuse for growing them is of
course that it's hard not to - they tend to infest neighbouring pots,
and can't be got rid of! I've been trying to get the !"@$%^ing
sandersonii out of my Sarras for three years now! (and then there's
subulata...)
I wouldn't be without them,
Peter