I'm baffled by a couple of my 'lucky dip' tubers from Lowrie - first
one rosetted spp. flowered - all white petals, stamens, anthers, pollen.
Petals 1cm long, retuse, apex slightly denticulate, capsule green-yellow.
Classic D.bulbosa flower - but the leaves have a depressed midrib indicating
D.rosulata. Only flower formed on plant.
Now today, another plant has flowered - white petals and stamens, yellow
anthers and pollen, greeny-brown capsule, all similarly sized, but the leaves
have a raised midrib and are paler than the first plant! At least two more
flowers are forming.
These were unlabelled tubers of mixed spp., and I just can't figure out
what the hell is going on - does anyone out there know if there are any
D.bulbosa forms with yellow stamens/anthers? or if there is an all-white
form of D.rosulata? I've scoured my books, but LOWRIE Vol.1 makes no
mention of any forms of either that might explain this - it seems clear
from his descriptions of both spp. that the flowers are on the 'wrong'
plants. Certainly my other D.rosulata have the 'correct' (yellow stamens,)
flowers and depressed midrib. Perhaps they're just very variable spp.?
(And yes, I know they're growing in the wrong season for Wales, but as
they'd already sprouted, there was no stopping them, so I've now got a
shelf running on Winter photoperiod and temps.)
Happy growing and TIA for any suggestions,
Peter
snail:Peter Cole,17 Wimmerfield Cr. :mailto:carnivor@bunyip.demon.co.uk
Killay, SWANSEA SA2 7BU, WALES :http://www.angel.co.uk/flytrap/index.htm
vox:+44 1792 205214 :ftp://www.angel.co.uk/pub/flytrap