Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 11:37:35 -0400 From: "Semanchuk, Phil J" <pjs20347@glaxowellcome.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1791$foo@default> Subject: RE: Sarracenia fluid levels...
> Recently someone posted a message about having to
> fill his/her Sarracenia pitchers with water. Is
> this necessary for species other than S. purpurea?
> I've noticed a few drops of liquid at the bottom of
> me S. flava and none in my S. rubra, but both seem
> to trap and digest insects just fine. What's up?
IMO (underinformed as it is) only S purpurea "wants" to have rain falling in
its pitchers. The other Sarrs (esp. S minor) seem to have evolved in such a
way that would keep rainwater *out* of the pitcher. I leave my plants
outside and I never add water to the pitchers. I'm not convinced that they
would do better if I did.
I've never heard anyone suggest this, but could the plant not add water to
its own pitchers by moving water through the cell walls? In other words, if
some quantity of pitcher water promotes the health of the plant, it seems
quite possible to me that the plant would have evolved a mechanism for
meeting this need.
Good growing to all,
Philip
URL du Jour: http://www.indirect.com/www/bazza/cps/faq/faq.html
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