Date: Sun, 01 Nov 1998 18:26:30 -0500 From: "Richard Brown" <esoft@ix.netcom.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3470$foo@default> Subject: Re:pitcher lifespan
----------
.If a pitcher is overfed, will it always
>"die" of fungus or some other nasty, or might the "death" be natural,
>because of the digestive fluid is being so full of nutrients that the
>main concern for the plant now is to retrieve the nutrients, not keeping
>an active trap. Even if the pitcher now looks ugly (to us), it has done
>what it's supposed to do. Anyone studied how much longer the lower part
>of a trap "survives" after the top starts to deteriorate? How long can a
>pitcher stay "fit" anyway?
Hi Chris,
I've had fence lizards eaten by N. alata, N. khasiana x alata, and N. Mixta,
and because of the size of the victim, (typically seven inches or so), the
pitcher dies back sooner, but the plant produces more pitchers in a burst of
growth. No question the whole plant benefits, but I would not want every
pitcher catching prey of this size all the time! Also interesting to note;
nocturnal tree frogs also get into the lathe house, and they sleep in the
pitchers during the day like sleeping bags. They are never digested or
harmed in any way, but the lizards fall into a Nepenthes trap and cannot get
out. They become dinner. The tree frogs make for a cute photograph, hanging
there with their heads poking out of the pitcher, but I believe their
excrements hasten the aging of the pitcher.
I have noted that the upper portion of the trap dies back when the humidity
drops, and hot summer days will age a Nepenthes pitcher faster than anything
else. The lower portion of the trap will go on for months as long as fluid
is inside. J. Marabini on his Website mentions keeping water in the pitchers
and I wholeheartedly agree. If the pitchers have water inside and the
humidity stays high relative to the temperature-both day and night- then
they will last a long time, and a single plant may be grown to the point of
having fifteen to twenty "fresh" traps.
I have never been able to do this because my conditions are a bit "hard",
but when grown in a perfect greenhouse environment, amazing things can be
done with Nepenthes.
>does anyone have an opinion on the book 'Nepenthes of Borneo'.
All books on Nepenthes are good. All that I have seen are written by people
who have extensive field experience, and are full of "clues" to help refine
growing them "in captivity".
Until later,
Trent Meeks
Pompano Beach, Florida.
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