Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 14:45:41 From: SCHLAUER@chemie.uni-wuerzburg.de To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg335$foo@default> Subject: Re: Utricularia spec.
Dear Jens,
> I just got an Utricularia species from our local botanic garden.
> They could not tell me the name - only that it is probably from Africa.
> The leaves are tiny and grasslike, about 0.5cm long. There are several
> flowers on a stem of about 8cm. These flowers have a maximum diameter of
> about 0.7cm, a somewhat rhomb-like outline and a short white spur.
> To me it seems that they have only two petals, the upper one being very
> tiny and yellow, the other bigger and yellow in the upper, white in the
> lower part.
> Any idea what species this is ?
It may be one of approx. 20 spp. Do you have a microscope or a good
lens? First try to find out if the flowers are supported on flattened
and laterally winged pedicels. Then look if the bract and bracteoles
(the leaves subtending the flowers) are projecting below their point
of attachment. Then try to unearth a trap and examine the appendages
at the trap opening carefully (how many appendages/ridges, how are
these arranged around the trap opening, are they glandular?). Then
examine the ripe fruits and their mode of dehiscence (do they open
with one or two slits, are the slits thickened along the line of
dehiscence?). Then examine the seed testa carefully (how are the
seeds and their testa cells shaped, are they ridged longitudinally or
papillose?). Then send another email including these data.
Another method is to get a copy of Taylor s monograph and compare the
plant with his drawings/descriptions or to browse the growlists of
some cp growers and exclude all those names which sound unlikely
(e.g. of all aquatic species).
Gruesse
Jan
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