VFT growing funny

From: Kate Collins (Collins@uidesign.se)
Date: Mon Oct 20 1997 - 02:06:07 PDT


Date: Mon, 20 Oct 1997 11:06:07 +0200
From: Kate Collins <Collins@uidesign.se>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg4056$foo@default>
Subject: VFT growing funny

Hi -

> The [traps] won't close, and all the leaves seem to be everted -
> they're open, but the leaves of the trap are concave, instead of
> convex.
> ...
> Also, the two newest traps that have opened are small, and the edges
> of the trap are wavy, instead of straight.

My VFT is doing the same thing, and I'm 99% sure that it's simply
trying to enter dormancy. Dormancy is triggered by decreasing
amounts of light as well as increasing amounts of far red light
(as the sun's angle slants more) - at least this is true of trees.

How DOES dormancy work with herbaceous plants? Do they respond to
light stimuli as trees do, and just go about the process differently?
To me, a logical herbaceous plant response to decreasing photoperiod
would be to devote all energy to root growth (storage), while not
killing off the herbaceous parts. After all, might as well utilize
every last moment of sunlight until a hard frost ends the possibility.
Am I on the right track, or have I forgotten everything I learned?

/Kate Collins



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