RE:BICALCARATA HYBRIDS
Doug Fraser (dougf@tlgamma.qld.BoM.GOV.AU)
Sun, 14 Apr 1996 02:51:24 +0000 (GMT)
I am lucky enough to have a female bicalcarata in my nepenthes
collection. For the last two years she has produced an enormous flower
spike. In 94-95 the majority of this spike was pollinated with
bicalcarata but indeed some of the flower spike was pollinated with
veitchii, bicalcarata x gracilis and x dyeriana(unsuccessfully for the
second year running). The resulting seedlings are now twelve months old
and as yet they are not displaying any individual characteristics except
that the peristome on the x veitchii seedlings are showing red
striping.The flower spike this year contained 180 seed pods. The
following hybrids were attempted: ventricosa, veitchii, x cincta,
mirabilis x bicalcarata, rafflesiana, truncata x ventricosa, rafflesiana
x tobaica and x mastersiana. The seed has been distributed and planted
so i will hopefully be able to update their progress in a few years
time. I have five bicalcarata hybrids in my collection. They are
N.bicalcarata x gracilis, mirabilis x bicalcarata, rafflesiana x
bicalcarata, x hookeriana x bicalcarata and (thorelii x rafflesiana) x
bicalcarata. The last three are only seedlings but the N.rafflesiana x
bicalcarata has produced its first pitcher with visible fangs. I have
high hopes for it. The only N.bicalcarata hybrid that i have heard that
has distinct fangs has been with N.ampullaria (female). The fangs on
this plant were reputed to be as long as N.bicalcarata but run down the
back of the pitcher so they are not very visible. I have not had any
success with N x dyeriana pollen and believe it has questionable
fertility. Have other growers had similar experiences with it?
>From MERYL FRASER
TOWNSVILLE AUSTRALIA