Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 23:46:04 EDT From: CMDodd@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2616$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nepenthes question
In a message dated 99-07-17 06:19:57 EDT, you write:
<< From: "MARIN" <marin@sprint.ca>
To: <cp@opus.hpl.hp.com>
Subject: Nepenthes question.
Message-ID: <012a01becf9c$eeae4a00$2f1105d1@LASERSPOT.WORKGROUP>
I have a small N. ventricosa that is starting to produce what
seem like buds, in the leaf axils, almost like the ones Brian Tran
asked about on his D. capensis. Is it normal for a small Nepenthes
to suddenly start having buds swelling between each leaf, and should
I cut the top off and try to root it, so as to give some of these
buds a chance to grow out. If I leave it as is and they continue to
grow, it will have several branches. I've also noticed a second
growing point that has just started to break the surface of the
medium, actual leaves. The plant only has about a 5" diameter and
is 4" tall, has 11 leaves, 7 of which are pitchered The buds are
about the size of a BB for a BB gun, with the largest one at the top
which is noticably larger than the rest, right along side of the
newly forming leaf, which kind of seems to be stunted. It kind of
seems like the main growing point has slowed in growth as these buds
have been forming. Should I do anything to it or should I just
leave it be and have some wei rd many branched Nep. It's currently
growing in a mixture of chopped long strand sphagnum, perlite,
vermiculite, tree bark and sand. It only gets watered with
distilled water. Could a change in lighting cause this to happen.
I changed one of the fluorescent tubes for a grow tube, more on the
reddish side of the spectrum. The rest of the tubes are cool white.
>>
Dear Marin,
You did not mention the origin of the N. ventricosa. If it is a tissue
cultured plant you will sometimes find that these plants produce many side
shoots as a result of hormonal manipulation in vitro. I do not do T/C but
certain chemicals are used to cause shoot proliferation or to cause root
development, etc. It can sometimes take a while for these to be metabolized
and this behavior to stop. N. rajah continues to produces small plantlets
for some time, in this case at soil level. Only a few species that I have
cultivated do this naturally, such as N. tobaica which 'branches' and N.
ampullaria which develops rosettes of pitchers along many nodes of a climbing
stem, though rather rarely in cultivation.
Since you have a basal shoot developing at soil level, let it get three
or four normal sized leaves and then you should be able to make cuttings of
the rest.
Cliff
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