*« CARNIVOROUS PLANT
NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 14, Number 3 SEPTEMBER 1985

CARNIVOROUS
PLANT
NEWSLETTER

Official Journal ol the
International Carnivorous
Plant Society

Volume 14, Number 3
September 1 985

COVKR: .S' pmjmn'd ‘tundra’ adaptation, growing in exposed area in center of Figure
1, page ft1). Note that, in late [ulv, onlv a single pitcher lias been produced. Two
pitchers Irom the prior season are also visible. Photo In David Butler.

The co-editors of CPN would like everyone to pay particular attention to the
following policies regarding your dues to the ICPS.

All correspondence regarding dues, address changes and missing issues should be
sent to Joanne Klmgensmith, 437 Las Riendas, Fullerton, CA 92635. DO NOT SEND TO
THE CO-EDITORS. Checks for subscriptions and reprints should be made payable to
CSUF FOUNDATION -ICPS.

All material for publication, comments and general correspondence about your
plants, field trips or special noteworthy events relating to CP should be directed to one
of the co-editors. We are interested in all news related to carnivorous plants and rely
on the membership to supply us with this information so that we can share it with
others.

Views expressed in this publication are those of the authors, not necessarily the editorial
staff.

Copy deadline for the March issue Is January 1 , 1 986.

CO-EDITORS:

D.E. Schnell, Rt. 1, Box 145C, Pulaski, VA 24301

J.A. Mazrimas, 329 Helen Way, Livermore, CA 94550

T.L. Mellichamp, Dept, of Biology, UNCC, Charlotte, NC 28223

Leo Song, Dept, of Biology, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92634

Seed Bank: Patrick Dwyer, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 49 Killean Park,
Albany, NY 12205, USA.

BUSINESS MANAGER: Mrs. Joanne Klmgensmith, c/o The Fullerton Arboretum.

PUBLISHER The International Carnivorous Plant Society by the Fullerton Arboretum,
California State University, Fullerton, CA 92634. Published quarterly
with one volume annually. Printer: Kandid Litho, 129 Agostino Rd., San
Gabriel, CA 91776. Circulation: 659 (151 new, 508 renewal). Dues:
$10.00 annually, $15.00 foreign. Reprints available by volume only.
1985 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter All rights reserved.

58

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

NEWS AND VIEWS

PETER D’AMATO (P.O. Box 1372,
Guerneville, CA 95446) writes: I enjoyed
reading David Butler’s piece on the Dro-
sera rotundifolia X intermedia plants found at
Lake Oswego in the New Jersey Pine
Barrens. (XIV: 1) I was particularly
amused at his humor about “wilderness
camping” in New Gretna, as I am orig¬
inally from nearby Tuckerton.

It was during high school that I first
discovered S. purpurea , D. rotundifolia and
D intermedia growing along Tuckerton
Lake right in the middle of town. It was
there that D. intermedia was occasionally
found growing on the mossy bark of tree
branches hanging low over the boggy
edge of that lake. There, and in Mana-
hawkin 10 miles north, a friend and my¬
self found two D. rotundifolia plants mea¬
suring 5" across, which astounded us as
available literature always described the
plants as half diat size.

I often wandered the bogs of the area
looking for unusual growth patterns.
Some of my observations were as follows:
Thick colonies of 2" high “dwarf’ D.
intermedia were found in pure sand along
stream beds in Mystic Island, near Tuck¬
erton. These plants rarely developed the
long stalks of intermedia found growing in
water-covered black peat muck along
cedar lakes further inland. Around Batso
Lake in the middle of (he barrens both
intermedia and filiformis seemed to prefer
moss-free muck, while rotundifolia and S.
purpurea grew dense in drier sphagnum.

It was at Lake Oswego where I, too,
found a single young 2" high specimen of
D. intermedia X filiformis, deep red in color,
the leaf blade as long as the petiole, and
curved inward toward the center of the
plant. Had I known these hybrids to be
infen ile, I would have collected it, but did
not. For future reference, can they be
easily multiplied by leaf cutting? (I pre¬
sume they can, but did not think of it at
the time.) It was also at Lake Oswego that
patches of intermedia grew along beach
sand frequented by bathers, who un¬

knowingly trampled them underfoot, or
lay beach towels over them, much to my
dismay. (I recall one humorous incident
when a rather large lady, crushing and
uprooting intermedia beneath her as she
lay sunning, found the little red plants
clinging in a sticky mass on her elbows;
she grew quite upset upon my telling her
wickedly that they were carnivorous, and
she moved to another part of the beach.)

A question: why are my Sarracenia pur¬
purea, otherwise extraordinarily healthy,
having the following flowering problems?
The last two years the bud appears with
the spring leaves, only to stop growing
upon pushing above the crown. Last year,
one of my three plants successfully flow¬
ered later on a short 4" stalk in Septem¬
ber! I will wait to see if that happens
again. Any suggestions?

A request: I’ve noticed that others as
well as myself are sometimes self-con¬
scious of our pronunciations of the Latin
names of CP. Perhaps a more knowledge¬
able person can offer a list in the CP
Newsletter of their correct phonetic pro¬
nunciations?

P.S. Contrary to published literature, my
Sarracenia flava produce very much curved
winter phyllodia. One would think them
to be S. oreophila, if we went by general
observations reported in print.

PAT HANSEN, (3321 Hamell Road,
Fullerton, CA 92635) writes: While moving
to another state is exciting, it is hard to turn
over my duties with CPN to someone else.
The tedium of certain of the tasks has been
overshadowed by the tremendous pleasure
I have had in working with members of the
ICPS. Almost without exception, I have
found you to be understanding, charming
and full of good humor. Getting to know
you, if only by mail, has been a delight.
Thank you.

JOHN L. RANDALL (Rt. 3, Box 402,
Blacksburg, VA 24060) writes: In response
to John Hummer’s article in the Decem-

Volume 14 • September 1985

59

ber 1984 “News and Views” I hold a
different view of carnivorous plant (any
plant) preservation. Creating “plant
banks,” as Mr. Hummer suggests, is no
doubt an important aspect of any modern
concept of species preservation. Germ-
plasm resource centers are a major con¬
cern of geneticists, agriculturists, botan¬
ists, ecologists, and environmentalists
around the globe. There is no substitu¬
tion, however, for habitat preservation.
Rather than devote immense amounts of
time, effort, and money into a carniv¬
orous plant “bank,” would it not be more
reasonable to channel those energies in
the direction of habitat conservation?
Why not go to the source of the problem
rather than deal with the result? Mr.
Hummer’s “vision” of a large scale
“plant bank” where all collections would
be “donated” including a “facility with
refrigeration units” for rhizome storage
which is “supported mainly by the sale of
plants” is just not reasonable (putting it
mildly). Offering the very plants you are
protecting for sale to support conservation
only invites the indiscriminate “rescue” of
wild populations. In addition, the exis¬
tence of such a plant bank would only
undermine those attempts at habitat pres¬
ervation. The very heart of the conserva¬
tion argument is that specific environ¬
ments cannot be replaced.

Mv statements are not original. It is a
basic tenet that the habitats containing
unique organisms should be the focus in
conservation efforts. Displacing species
into “zoos” should be considered only in
last ditch efforts of conservation.

RUSSELL A. REDLER (304 Jefferson
Heights Avenue, Jefferson, LA 70121).

I enjoy the I CPS bulletin, particularly
those articles that stress culture tips and
growing mixes. Some years ago I tried
Nepenthes khasiana from seed (Parks Seed
Co., Greenwood, S. Carolina). Sown on
live sphagnum moss and misted with very
mild Atlas brand liquid fish emulsion,
they grew and formed pitchers. Experi¬
menting with Miracle-Gro (15-30-15) and
20-20-20 misted dilutions caused the
plants to rapidly decline, although other

growers may have had success with these
fertilizers. The past two winters were so
severe here in New Orleans, that I lost the
Nepenthes in my orchid greenhouse, as
they were not nearest the heater. Also lost
the epiphytic Vireyas (Malasian rhododen¬
drons) which are so lovely and growing in
popularity.

ADRIAN SLACK (Barton St. David,
Somerton, Somerset, England).

A recent article published in an Ameri¬
can weekly newspaper quoted me as say¬
ing, “People don’t know that the beau¬
tiful Nepenthes rajah is deadly. The giant
plant actually eats small monkeys in its
native environment of Borneo, and is
capable of ingesting infants as well. They
are status symbols because they are a
novelty, but people don’t realize how
dangerous many of them really are. When
you remove the specimens from their
natural habitat, you can’t change the
plant’s ‘instincts’. Anything that moves is
fair game.”

This article was widely published not
only in Australia but in the USA and goes
on to report that Adrian Slack considers
Nepenthes rajah and some other CP to pose
definite dangers to the lives of domestic
animals and babies! I believe these stories
may be the result of something that I said
in jest which could never be taken seri¬
ously by even the most gullible person. If
so, I offer my apologies and hope that
such sensationalism will do little to dimin¬
ish the growing interest in CP so evident
today.

CURTIS YAX (12 Division, Apt. 1, One-
onta, NY 13820).

In the July- August issue of Science 85, p
66-67 written by Gary Blonston is an
excellent picture of one, huge Heliamphora
pitcher. It has a Nepenthes -Yike hood, and
at first glance I thought it was a Nepenthes.
The area that was explored was Cerro de
la Neblina which borders on northern
Brazil in southern Venezuela. There is a
map, a nice picture of the mountains
taken from an airplane, a farout photo of
the Venezuelan valley which looks pre-
(Continued on page 81)

60

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

SEED BANK

Patrick Dwvcr (St. Michael’s Episcopal Church,

49 Killean Park, Albany, NY 12205)

To send seed: Please remove seed from the seed capsules and place it in small envelopes
(preferably paper so that thev dry out enough to prevent mold). Label with the origin and
date of collection, including habitat if it is exotic. Fold the envelope once or twice before
taping so that the seeds don’t stick to the tape. After the seed is received it will be placed
in smaller packets; donors will be informed of how many packets thev have donated. A donation
of 10-19 packets earns one tree seed packet of comparable rarity, with one additional free
packet for! each additional 10 packets.

Do not ask to trade for seed trom the bank. Everyone will have to buy all but the free
packets.

To order seed: Please enclose payment. List the seeds desired and an equal number of sub¬
stitutes in order of preference. If requested, Patrick will add any cultural instructions of which
he is aware. Each issue of CPN will include an update of the inventory. Cost per packet: $.75
(Number of packets is listed it less than 15 are available.)

Darlingtoma calfomica (14); Drosera aliciae, D. anglica (5), D. auriculata, D. binata, D. brevifolia

(2) , D. burkeana (6), D. burmannii, D. burmannii (green) (2), D. capensis, D. capensis (narrow),
D. capensis (mix of reg. and narrow), D. capillans, D cuneifolia (2), D. dielsiana, D. filiformn
fihformis (5), D. glanduligera (11), D. indica, D. indica (Australia), D. intermedia, D. macrantha
(pink 11.), D. montana (3), D. rnontana (white 11.) (3), D. natalensis (10), D. nitidula (1), D.
peltata, D. pulchella (6), D pygmaea, D. rotundifolia, D. rotundifolia (forked stalks) (5), D.
spathulata, D. spath. (Kansai), D. spath. (Kansat- white fl.) (3), D. spath. (Kanto), D. spath.
(rotundate) (1), D. spath. (Tanega) (5), D. spath. (white fl.) (2), D. stolonifera, D. tnnenrn
(10); Drosophyllum lusitanicum (10); Nepenthes aibomarginata, N. sp. (Sumatra) (15); Pinguicula
alpina (10), P. caerulea (1), P. grandiflora rosei (10), P. moranensis (4), P. purnila (5), P. vulgaris
(6), P. vulgaris bicolor (10); Polypompholyx multifida (10); Sarracenia alata, S. flava, S. flava
(green) (5), S. flava (Green Swamp) (6), S. flava (red tube-green lid), S. flava (color FM
mix), S. flava rugelii (6), S. leucophylla, S. leucophylla (large stocky) (5), S. leucophylla (tall thin
red) (8), S. minor (4), S. purpurea purpurea, S. purpurea venosa (10), S. purpurea venosa chipoca

(3) , S. rubra (5), S. rubra gulfensis (2), S. rubra jonesii (8), Sarracenia hybrid mix, S. alata X
leuco (10), S. alata (red) X leuco (4), S. alata/ minor (7), S. alata/purp. purp. (4), S. flava X
leuco. S. flava X purp. S. leuco X rubra (1), S. oreo X alata, S. psitt/rubra gulfensis (1), S. purp.
purp. X leuco. (3), S. purp. venosa X leuco (14), S. rubra X oreo (2), S. rubra gulfensis /leuco (4), S.
oreo/rubra jonesii hetero. (1), S. leuco/purp X leuco (1), S. psitt X purp. X leuco (7), S. (purp. X
flava) X alata (12), S. alata/ minor X psitt/oreo (1), S. leuco/ minor X psitt/oreo (9), S. oreo/psitt
X leuco/ minor (2), S. ( purp X flava) X ( purp/flava ) (4), Utriculana capensis (10), U. dehculata
(2), U. hookeri (8), U. juncea (6), U. lateriflora, JJ. racemosa (5), U. reticulata (2), U. subulata (5),
U. violacea (9).

Seed Bank Notice, in order to ease Patrick Dwyer’s bookkeeping load, he will
now keep records of packets owed to people (especially to donors) only for the full
preceding year.

Volume 14 • September 1985

61

CEPHALOTUS FOLUCULARIS
THE WESTERN AUSTRALIA PITCHER PLANT

by Robert Riedl

Cephalotus folhcularis is the sole member
of its own plant family, the Cephalotaceae.
No varieties of forms are officially rec¬
ognized, vet several growers have noted
significant differences of growth habit in
different clones of the plant, an observa¬
tion which might be further substantiated
as more plant material becomes available.

Cephalotus folhcularis (from the Greek
word ‘Kephalotos’ meaning ‘headed’ which
refers to the filaments of the stamens, and
the Latin word ‘folliculus’ meaning ‘small
pouch’, which describes the shape of the
pitcher) is a plant of strange and singular
appearance even amongst pitcher plants. It
is a relatively small, rosetted plant with a
thick, branching root system which bears
numerous clusters of pitchers during most
of the year. During the cool season,
particularly during late winter and spring,
more conventional foliage leaves are pro¬
duced, oblong in shape, glossy green and
fleshv. The typical pitchers appear at the
onset of the warmer months and are
continuously formed until late autumn.
The pitchers mav be green when grown in
shade, but colour deep crimson in a sunny
position and mav reach up to 6 cm in
length. Their shape has been compared to
the one of a moccasin, ornated with three
ribs stretching from the toe to the top, with
its heel turned up and over to form an
awning or lid over the pitcher mouth
which has a well developed rim of smooth,
glossy ribbings which curve over into the
pitcher opening where they end abruptly
in downward pointing teeth. Inside the
pitcher, just below the teeth, is a downward
pointing, light green, smooth collar or
ledge overhanging the cavitv of the pitcher.
Insect-attracting nectar glands are scattered
over the entire surface of this ledge, but are
also found, like an initial lure to insects, a
preliminary' invitation device, on the in¬
ternal and external surfaces of the lid itself,
which has numerous, unpigmented, trans¬
lucent ‘windows’ or areolae similar in

appearance to those found in Sarracenia
minor and Darlingtonia.

Insects feeding along the collar surface
have frequently been observed to lose co¬
ordination of their movements as if under
the influence of some narcotic fed to them
with the nectar. Once they have lost their
footing, thev fall into the purplish-black
coloured cavity of the pitcher which con¬
tains a small amount of fluid, which seems
to have a clogging, paralysing effect on the
victims. The cavitv or well of the pitcher is
equipped with numerous digestive glands
in its upper part which reach their greatest
concentration in two distinct, thickened,
elongated areas about halfway down on
each side of the cavity.

It is still unclear whether digestion of
prey is entirely affected by the digestive
enzyme system secreted by the plant or
whether part of the digestion process is to
be contributed to bacteria present in the
pitcher fluid. While I was able to demon¬
strate the presence of bacteria in the pitcher
fluid and an increase in their population
density subject to the age of the pitcher and
the relative concentration of accumulated
prey, I was unable to demonstrate any
significant contribution by bacteria in the
digestion process.

In an experiment the same number of
ants was introduced to mature pitchers of
about the same age; the fluid in half the
pitchers was then sterilized using the anti¬
biotics Streptomycin and Penicillin, and
the lids of all test pitchers were artificially
sealed over the pitcher openings to prevent
further introduction of the prey. Period¬
ically the degree of prey solubilisation was
visually examined by lifting the lids from
the pitcher openings to inspect the cavity
contents with the aid of a dentist’s mirror.
The observed result was that the rate of
prey break-down appeared to be about the
same in all pitchers. This would suggest
that bacteria found in pitcher fluid may be

62

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Cephalotus growing through base of pot.

Photo bv Phill Mann.

Volume 14 • September 1985

63

mm

present primarily in the role of oppor¬
tunists feeding on nutrients made avail¬
able by enzymes of the plant acting on the
bodies of prey. Ultimately, it would seem
that this "pirating’ of nutrients from the
plant by bacteria is onlv temporary as the
food assimilated by bacteria becomes to a
large extent available again to the plant
upon the death and ensuing lysis of the
bacteria cells. Irrespective of the effect or
absence of anv effect by bacteria upon prev
digestion in Cephalotus, it was interesting to
note that the rate of digestion seemed more
rapid in the temperature range between 25
and 35 deg. C, slowing down if the
temperature was further increased and
virtually coming to a standstill at temper¬
atures below 15 deg. C. This may suggest a
direct confirmation of the behavior of most
biochemical processes, reaching an op¬
timal reaction rate over a more or less
narrowly defined temperature range and
slowing down again if the reaction takes
place below or above the optimum tem¬
perature limits due to inactivation or dena-
turation respectively of the chemical
compound eliciting a particular reaction
sequence. The fact that efficient digestion
of prey and subsequent nutrient assimi¬
lation is very slow or non-existent in
Cephalotus at low temperatures could give a
clue to whv this plant produces different
kinds of leaves at different times of the
vear; it seems more opportune and of
greater survival value for the plant to invest
and expend its energies during winter and
spring in more conventional foliage leaves
which are better equipped than pitchers to
photosvnthesize anti therefore more suited
for the manufacture of sugars and starches,
and it only produces summer leaves or
pitchers when the enzvme system associ¬
ated with them can be utilized to the full in
the translation and assimilation of insect-
derived nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus,
saccharides and trace elements.

Cephalotus follicularis is easilv cultivated in
a variety of media: pure sphagnum;
quartz-sand and peat in about equal parts
with a little perlite added for better soil
aeration; and some growers claim excellent
results by using a mix of 2 parts peat, 2

pans sieved, well rotted leaf mould, one
part perlite and one part quartz-sand.
Irrespective of the particular potting medi¬
um used, it is of utmost importance that
the plants are not kept too wet, especiallv
not during the cooler months of the year.
While I stand my Cephalotus containers into
a 5cm deep tray with water during the
summer months, 1 keep the plants just
slightly damp during the cool season,
watering them onlv about once a week
from above, but avoiding wetting the
foliage or crown to prevent rotting. Most
failures with this species seem to be the
direct result of keeping the compost too
wet, having insufficient soil aeration or
using an unsuitable potting mixture. These
plants eventually form long underground
root systems which branch over long
distances. Secondarv plants arise at some
distance from the parent plant. Bearing
this in mind it is better to grow Cephalotus in
plastic trays of a depth not less than 15cm,
provided with additional drainage and
aeration holes (I use polvurethane fruit
boxes available from most greengrocers).
Although the Albany Pitcher Plant grows in
nature in a Mediterranean climate of
relatively drv summers and wet winters, I
have no problem growing these plants in
Sydney all the year around unprotected in
the open, in spite of the fact that the
climate here is more subtropical with rel¬
atively dry, long spells of high humidity. At
first I used to grow Cephalotus in broken
light which yielded luxurious growth of
long lasting winter leaves, but produced
few, although slighdy larger, plain-green
pitchers. Since I have moved mv plants to a
position where they receive almost full sun
for most of the day, they have started to
grow pitchers much earlier in the season, in
greater quantity and of much more vivid
polouration.

Cephalotus blooms from mid to late
summer. The flow'ers are borne on a
slender 50cm long stem. The actual
flowers are inconspicuous, lack petals, are
whitish-green and rather small. I am not
certain whether the flowers can be self-
pollinated as I have never had more than
one plant in flow'er in anv given vear and

64

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

all my attempts to produce seeds under
these circumstances have so far failed.

Vegetative propagation is easily accomp¬
lished by taking 3-5cm long cuttings of the
thick, fleshy root from a large plant in late
spring. The cut pieces are allowed to air-
dry for a few hours, are dusted with a
fungicide (Benlate, Captan, Difolatan, etc.)
and rooting hormone (available from most
nurseries) and are placed horizontally and
not deeper than about 1 cm into a pot
filled with a sand/peat mix. The potting
mix is then lightly watered and the pot
covered with a piece of window glass to
minimize evaporation and placed into light
shade. Water should be applied only
sparingly during this period, but in suffici¬
ent quantity to maintain the soil mix
slightly damp. About 3-4 weeks later young
plantlets can now be gradually hardened
off. About a year later the young plants can
be subdivided and treated like adult plants.

Another method of vegetive propagation
is to take leaf cuttings. An entire leaf or
pitcher with the stalk intact is removed,
washed in diluted fungicide and the cut
base of the stalk is dipped into rooting
hormone. The stalk or petiole is then
lightly pushed into a bed of live sphagnum
with the leaf blade or pitcher sitting flat on
its surface. The propagation container is
covered with glass or clear plastic to
prevent excessive evaporation of moisture

REMINDER

While the editors are very interested in
looking at color prints of your plants, this
medium is not suitable for reproduction in
CPN. Results are noticeably better with
color transparencies ( slides); therefore, the
editors prefer them over prints.

In taking pictures of your plants, keep in
mind that CPN can use vertical shots very
nicely as quarter or whole page photos (see
p. 71). Horizontal shots are used as half¬
page photos.

Black and white photos are very wel¬
come as long as they have good contrast
and focus.

and placed into light shade. The tinv conn,
which mav eventually form near the cut
end of the leaf, will with time differentiate
into leaves and tiny roots. The plantlet can
then be gradually accustomed to stronger
light. Repeated spraying with fungicide
during the differentiation process seems
necessary to prevent damping off.

It must be borne in mind that propaga1
tion by root or leaf cuttings only increases
the number of plants of the same clone,
which makes them all geneticallv identical.
Only plants grown from cross-pollinated
seed, and let us assume that cross-pol¬
lination is necessary to produce viable seed
in Cephalotus, will give rise to new clones, to
new genetic combinations. To successfully
grow Cephalotus from seed should be a
challenge for all CP enthusiasts.

Cephalotus follicularis (like most CP’s) is
remarkably free from disease and pests.
Fungal and bacterial decay of the crown
and root system onlv occurs if plant and
potting mix are kept too wei and under¬
aerated. Caterpillars occasionally become
a nuisance, but they can be easily picked
off by hand or killed using a pvrethrum
spray.

Reprinted from “Flytrap News,” official
newspaper of the Carnivorous Plant Society
of New South Wales, July/Aug., No. 1, 1()85.

NOTICE

ICPS Business Manager Pat Hansen has
resigned from her duties with the society
because of an upcoming transfer and move
to Arizona. The new business manager will
be Joanne Klingensmith. All routine cor¬
respondence should be addressed to her
do The Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton,
CA 92634. Items of a more urgent nature
should be sent to her home: 437 Las
Riendas, Fullerton, CA 92635.

Volume 14 • September 1985

65

A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF CP

bv Gregory T. Shanos, 160

A familiar technique for the preservation
of flowers can successfully be applied to
carnivorous plants. This method utilizes
the dessicant, (drying agent) silica gel. The
specimen is simply covered w'th silica gel in
a sealed container for 24 to 48 hours at
room temperature. After the elapsed time
period, the plant is removed, and any
excess silica that may adhere to the
specimen can be gently swept off with an
artist’s brush. The dessicant can be reused
or “reactivated” bv heating in an oven at
3.50 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.

Silica gel can be purchased from anv
nursery or chemical supply company. This
compound causes the dehydration of living
(issue without distortion of the specimens’
shape or form. Tftere is also little variation

Budlong Ave., Warwick, Rl

in color. In fact, colors tend to darken upon
dehydration. The dehydrated specimens
are quite fragile having the consistency of
tissue paper. Durability of the specimen is
increased by using an acrylic matte sealer.
Spraying is stronglv recommended since
dehydrated specimens are moisture sensi¬
tive.

Carnivorous plants that preserve best are
pitcher plants, especially Cephalotm, Darling-
toma. Nepenthes, and Sarracema. Drosera and
Pinguicula can be preserved with varying
amounts of success. Dionaea also preserves
well with excellent retention of color.

I urge all carnivorous plant enthusiasts
to experiment with this technique and
comment on tfieir results in future
volumes ol the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter.

How to Get Rid of That Algae in Your
Utricularia Tank

bv Robert Manzoni

Owners of aquatic Utricularia know what
a problem algae is. In fact, the green,
filamentous algae (or Blanket Weed as it is
more commonly known) mav grow even if
you place i( in a sunless position. I have
Utricularia australis in a small tank in t fie
southern part of t fie house receiving
filtered sunless light. The algae made the
water look murky and obscured the
Utricularia. I decided to find a wav to
combat this problem so I consulted our
society’s library (one of die privileges of
being a societv librarian).

The best solution appeared to be making
a chemical mixture of 0.2 grams of copper
sulphate crystal in 540 ml of distilled water.
However, I did not like the idea of adding
various chemicals to die water so I kept
researching. It was not until I talked to a
few nurserymen t hat one of them sug¬
gested I use a water snail to combat the

algae. He in fact owned an aquarium and
the water snails kept it clean from algae. I
decided to trv it so I went to my nearest
creek and got a water snail. I then put it in
the tank and promptly forgot about it for a
week.

A week later I walked past it and noticed
that the tank was clear of algae! The water
snail had eaten all the algae and the water
was finally clear. The past few weeks I have
been keeping a careful eye on it to see that
it was not also eating the Utricularia, but to
my knowledge, it hasn’t.

If anybody else is dunking of using water
snails, then maybe a handful would be suf¬
ficient for larger size containers.

Reprinted from the journal of the Victorian
Carnivorous Plant Societv, Vol. 2, No. 2,
1985.

66

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Figure 1 .
Living Dionaea
muscipula
specimen.

Figure 2.
Silica gel
dehydrated
specimen

Figure 3.
Dehydrated
and acrylic
matte sealed
specimen

Volume 14 • September 1985

67

ECOLOGICAL ADAPTIONS

OF SARRACENIA PURPUREA

IN COASTAL MAINE SPHAGNUM

MOSS

(David E. Butler, 51 14 Elm Street. Bethesda, MD 20814)

For a number of years, I have spent
summer vacations in coastal Maine. The
better-known attractions of “Vacation-
land" fill mam books and are bevond the
scope of this note. An added attraction tor
the CP enthusiast is the several species of
sundews and the northern pitcher plant,
Sarracenia purpurea, which inhabit local
glacial bogs and heaths.

Mans' of these habitats contain exten¬
sive populations of S. purpurea and Drosera
rotundifolia. D. intermedia may also be
found in coastal Maine, but it is not
common. The rarer sundews, such as D.
ang/ica and linearis, have been reported in
the northern part of the state (Schnell
1976; Newman 1980), but do not occur in
the coastal region. However, temperature
differences are unlikely to account for the
absence of these species from the coastal
area. For example, the average January
temperature for Portland, Maine, in the
coastal zone, is 31.2/11.7 degrees Fahren¬
heit. Marquette, Michigan, near known
sites ol D. linearis, averages 24.8/12.0 for
the same month. On the other hand,
Caribou, Maine, near the reported sites of
D. linearis in Maine, is much colder. Jan¬
uary temperatures average a mere
19.8/1.5 {Ruffner & Blair 1978). Thus, a
diligent search mav yield a range exten¬
sion of these rarer sundews to die coastal
area.

Although the coastal climate is relative¬
ly temperate, wind effects in unprotected
areas can fie quite severe. Indeed, some
of the most interesting adaptions of die
northern pitcher plant involve sites that
are exposed to severe winds. Mv observa¬
tions of S. purpurea in Maine include
habitats on two coastal islands, Vinalhav-
en and Mount Desert. The climate of the

two islands is identical: north temperate,
characterized by mossy forest, bogs and
open heath. Soil is gravelly and thin. In
moist depressions, the soil is often pure
peat, overlaid by sphagnum. Both islands
are often shrouded in thick tog. On these
islands, S. purpurea has adapted to a wide
range of micro-habitats. Most remarkable
is the range of adaptation in terms of
pitcher size, coloration and form, even
within the same bog area. Despite wide
variations in growth habit, ii is unlikely
that these adaptations represent botanic-
ally distinguishable forms or subspecies.

Figure 1 illustrates a general habitat
located within the boundaries of Acadia
National Park on Mount Desert Island.
The area, known only as “the Heath,”
supports a large colony of 5. purpurea. The
Heath lies in a remote area no more than
several hundred yards from the ocean.
Although seemingly solid ground, the
area is in fact a eutrophicated glacial lake,
covered bv a continuous mat of sphag¬
num. The entire center of the area, sever¬
al hundred yards in diameter, is quite
exposed to the elements. Being an open
field, tfie area receives full sun from sun¬
rise to sunset.

Around the edges of the exposed area,
low shrubs and pines are encroaching on
the lake bed. The shrubs provide some
shelter from the wind, and many typical
forms of S. purpurea may be found in
these areas. Plants in this slightly sheltered
area flower freelv. However, in the open
areas, specimens of S. purpurea take on a
depauperate, stunted form with pitchers
rarely more than six inches in length.
Based upon observation of new and aged
pitchers, it appears that rarely are more
than two or three pitchers produced in a

68

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

single season. However, these pitchers
have unusuallv intense coloration. Many
of these pitchers are entirely red and gold
even in mid-summer (Cover).

Surprisingly, manv of these pitchers
take on the superficial form of the south¬
ern S. purpurea. Pitchers tend to be com¬
paratively short and wide, and sometimes
have scalloped edges. This is clearly not
the southern form, however, as the outer
surface of the pitcher is glabrous and the
hood margins do not extend well bevond
the pitcher lip. One hypothesis for devel¬
opment of these pitchers is a reaction to
high winds that undoubtedly sweep
through this habitat. Low, squat pitchers
are resistant to tipping over in a heavy
wind. Similarly, the scalloped, hood mar¬
gins mav well be more resistant to tearing
in high winds, much as corrugated card¬
board is stronger than fiat.

Although the depauperate adaption of
S. purpurea is common in this bog, none
of the plants observed had flowered. It
appears that this is due to a combination
of factors in the marginal habitat. The
exposed position of the plants will result

in wind damage to any flowering stalks
before they reach anv significant height. A
second consequence of this habitat is a
tendency to dessicate in the summer sun
or in high wind conditions. Thus, con¬
ditions in the open heath are not con¬
ducive to flowering, even though plants in
the same area with even a modicum of
brush to shelter them from the wind will
flower freelv. It is logical to conclude that
seeds of this form are simply dispersed
from the ‘average’ plants growing nearbv.
This adaption mav informally be viewed
as a “tundra” ecophene.

Towards the edge of the heath, the
terrain becomes heavily wooded. The soil
remains deep sphagnum, however. Manv
S. purpurea mav be found in this heavily
shaded environment. In general, pitchers
growing in these low light conditions take
on the elongated form illustrated bv
Pietropalo (1976), and also discussed bv
Mandossian (1966). Mandossian found
that, at an average reading of 7.55 foot-
candles, S. purpurea will develop flat leaves
with a verv narrow pitcher, if anv, and a
wide wing. (Continued on page 72)

Fig. 1: The Heath, Mount Desert Island, Maine, looking toward the Western
Mountains. Photo by David Butler.

Volume 14 • September 1985

69

Figure 3: S. purpurea in heavily shaded habitat, showing elongated pitcher develop¬
ment and maroon styles.

Photos by David Butler

Figure 5: Unusually large stoloniferous clone.

70

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Fig. 4: S. purpurea in typical habitat,
form with scalloped hood margins.

David Butler

Drosera harniltonii
Photo bv J. Mazrimas
See page 75.

Fig. 6: Highly colored ‘ripicola’ emulation.

Photo by David Butler.

Volume 14 • September 1985

71

A vigorous example ot the shade grow¬
ing form is illustrated in Figure 3. Al¬
though heavily shaded bv its neighbor,
the plant did receive some dappled sun in
mid-afternoon. The leaves, while elon¬
gated, maintain an upright position due
to the tall grass growing along with the
pitchers. Many of these shade growers
had dowered, resulting in expanded seed
capsules.

Although the pitchers were almost en¬
tirely green as one would expect, the
flower sepals were a surprisingly dark
maroon color. I was not able to observe
these plants in flower, but speculate that
the petals mav even be darker than the
maroon petals of the typical ecophene.

Assuming that the two ecophenes dis¬
cussed supra do not represent the “typi¬
cal” habitat, other areas of the heath
certainly do. The tree-lined perimeter of
the eutrophicated lake is broken in several
areas by open stream beds which have
themselves become boggy with sphagnum
growth. In these areas, S. purpurea is plen¬
tiful. Plants are of the typical northern
form with varying amounts of red vena¬
tion superimposed on mostly green pitch¬
ers. An interesting variation occurs when
the pitcher hood develops scalloped
edges, again reminiscent of the southern
forms of S. purpurea (Figure 4). Plants in
this area are not exposed to high winds.
When occurring in a wind-sheltered habi¬
tat, this variation is likely due less to
ecological adaptation, than an expression
of the variability of the species.

Many plants in these optimum habitat
areas are vigorous, multi-crowned speci¬
mens. An occasional plant will grow to an
extremely large size. Figure 5 is an illus¬
tration of the largest plant noted in the
heath area, which has spread over an area
approximately .5 x 1.5 meters, and devel¬
oped in the summer ot 1984 eighteen
llower stalks. The specimen is reminiscent
of the ‘stolonifera’ variant described by
Macfarland et al. (1933). Macfarlane re¬
ported clones ranging from three to
twelve feet in width. I have not vet seen a
specimen in the larger portion of this
range. ITowever, much of the heath re¬

mains to be explored.

Field observation suggests two argu¬
ments against varietal status for the
stoloniferous plants. First, stoloniferous
specimens are isolated among more
normal-sized clones. Second, pitchers of
stoloniferous specimens are often indis¬
tinguishable, in terms of form and color¬
ation, from their neighbors.

Nomenclatural arguments aside, how¬
ever, a large S. purpurea in the field is a
magnificent sight to the CP enthusiast. I
have also observed large clonal specimens
of S. purpurea on Vinalhaven Island, about
fifty miles as the puffin flies from the
heath. None were as large as the illustra¬
tion, and many appear to be in declining
habitats — a pond, for example, that has
eutrophicated to the point that the water
table is not high enough to support the
species.

Figure 6 is an example of a plant from
such a habitat. Unlike the heath, this
glacial pond has become an open peat
bog. During drv spells the surface may
drv to a hard crust. Indeed, manv of the
largest plants in this particular bog died
during the dry summers of 1978 and
1979.

The illustrated survivor emulates the
Tipicola’ variant described by Boivin
(1951), but currently the subject of some
dispute as a recognizable variant (e.g.
Schnell 1979). The pitchers are shiny,
brittle, numerous and highly colored, al¬
though perhaps not to the extreme extent
of the classic Tipicola’ form. In contrast to
the ‘tundra’ adaptation described earlier,
the habitat of Figure 6 is protected from
high winds bv surrounding trees and rock
bluffs. At least in the observed habitat, the
subspecific designation would not appear
to be appropriate, for plants growing in
sphagnum towards the edge of the pond
exhibited more "average” characteristics.

The foregoing discussion does not, of
course, exhaust the possible habitats of
this species in the coastal zone. One other
noteworthy habitat was observed on
Vinalhaven, where I located several col¬
onies along the margin of a brackish pond
formed by damming a salt water inlet.

72

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

The water remains sufficiently saline to
support large colonies of jellyfish in the
warm summer months. Yet pitcher plants
flourish in sphagnum mats at lakeside.
The roots invariably extend into the alka¬
line substrate. Unlike the typical fresh
water pond, sphagnum cannot survive at
or below the water level, additional evi¬
dence of the alkalinity of the habitat.
Other than the apparent pH differential
of the growing medium, however, plants
exhibit no noteworthy features.

This completes the survey ot ecological
adaptions of S. purpurea in coastal Maine. I
conclude that, in coastal Maine, S. pur¬
purea exhibits extensive variation in pitch¬
er size, form, and coloration. The number
of pitchers and crowns per plant also
varies considerably. In addition, some
variation in flower color is suspected.
Such variation raises the question of ap¬
propriate botanical classification.

Available evidence indicates that the
observed differences are primarily habitat-
based. However, one should not hastily
rule out the possibility of formal or vari¬
etal distinction if appropriate empirical
research is conducted. In particular, such
research may resolve the question
whether the scalloped vs. smooth hood
margin is a genetic trait, and perhaps an
indicator of other, less obvious distinc¬
tions within the northern subspecies. In
addition, such variation well within the
range of the northern subspecies tasis
some doubt on the validity of reports of
intergrades or habitation In both the
northern and southern subspecies in the
same bog where ranges merge.

The prior work of Mandossian is worth
noting when considering the question of
ecological adaptation vs. formal status as
an explanation for the variations noted
above. Mandossian (1966) studied the im¬
pact of reciprocal transplants on S. pur¬
purea. In that experiment, specimens were
transplanted from acid-sphagnum bogs to
alkaline-marl bogs and vice versa. Plants
were assigned a leaf area index based
upon the formula two-thirds length x
width (“LW value”). In terms of both LW
value and number of leaves per plant,

reciprocal transplants approached their
new neighbors after two growing sea¬
sons. Mandossian concluded that differ¬
ences in pitcher size and number were
primarily habitat-based. All but one of
the habitats discussed in this note are
likely to be acid, as they are peat or
sphagnum based. Thus, although it is not
practical to conduct reciprocal trans¬
plants in the areas I observed, Man-
dossian’s conclusions are consistent with
the conclusions of this note.

It is apparent that S. purpurea is well
adapted to the harsh north temperate
climate. While the species is not easy for
the casual observer to locate, it is not
rare it the appropriate habitat is avail¬
able. CP enthusiasts should be grateful to
the creators of Acadia National Park for
permitting this species to flourish in its
unique and scenic natural habitat.

AUTHORITIES Cl TED

Boivin, B. 1951. Centurie tie Plantes
Canadiennes-II. Canadian Field Natu¬
ralist 65: 21

Macfarlane, et al 1933. Sarracenia purpurea
var. stolonifera, a Noteworthy Morpho¬
logical and Ecological Type, Bull.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 4: 161.

Mandossian, A.J. 1966. Variations in the
leal of Sarracenia purpurea, Mich. Bot¬
anist 5: 26.

Newman, G. 1980. A New Drosera Rec¬
ord for New England, CPN 5: 19.

Pietropaolo, J. and P.A. 1974. Hie
World of Carnivorous Plants 85.

Ruff net & Blair, etl. The Weather Al¬
manac 1978.

Schnell, I). 1979. A Critical Review of
Published Variants of Sarracenia pur¬
purea L., Castanea 44: 47.

1976. Carnivorous Plants
of the United States and Canada 59-
62.

Volume 14 • September 1985

73

THE ALBANY AREA

Bv Phill Mann, 6 Houston Cres., Bunbury, West Australia

The trip was a rushed one for my
girlfriend and myself, one of 1200 kilo¬
metres to collect a few plants and speci¬
mens, and check any flowering before the
season ended here. The destination was
the Albany area of the south coast of the
state, one of the richest areas for wild-
flowers and especially carnivorous plants.

We departed Friday afternoon and
made the first stop on the Muir Highway
between Manjimup and Mt. Barker. Here
on the side of the road in the wet flats
Polypompholyx multifida, P. tennella and
Utricularia hookeru were scattered among
the reeds. These plants were small in size
and had nearly finished flowering.

With time getting late we made one
more stop for the day along Milbrook
Road, | ust north of Albany where Drosera
sp. “Milbrook Rd” grows. Here we found
Drosera platystigma growing in the thou¬
sands in a road side gully 20 metres long
bv 4 metres wide. The soil was an iron,
stone and clay which is known as “gravel”
here.

In white silica sand type soil in another
location Drosera dichrosepala or as near as
can be identified grew in among a thick
area of grasses which in time would choke
the Drosera out. About 10 years ago Drosera
platypoda grew in this location but with the
encroachment of nearby pasture grasses it
has now gone.

The next day, Saturday, we started on
the property where we had camped and
where a small river ran through an area of
natural bush. We found a multitude of
Drosera and many climbers of types which
had finished and dried off. On the sides
of the track leading down to the river
Drosera dichrosepala grew in profusion with
many plants still in flower. Although con¬
ditions were very drv in this location the
pygmy Drosera were very healthy and
covered in sticky secretion, the leaves
were dark red on the plants receiving full
sun. Among these were scattered the large
form of Drosera scorpoides as described in

“Flower Aust. Vol. 8”. This pygmy Drosera
is very striking in that its growth is verv
stout and colourful, (see photo page 71 of
“Carnivorous Plants of the World,” bv
K. & M. RONDO). A few of these plants
were still flowering with the small white
flowers borne on short hairy scapes.

Further up the slope where the soil
became very poor in composition a few
small scattered plants of Drosera paleacea
var. tricaulis were growing but these plants
were not as healthy as the others with very'
few leaves still in a sticky condition.

At the bottom of the slope I had pre¬
viously found plenty of Cephalotus follicu-
laris plants growing in the wet thickets,
but as there had not been a fire through
this area for about 10 years the swampy
ground was covered in reeds, grass and
native Melaleuca bushes so thick that I
could only manage to push and fight my
way about four to five metres from the
track. The bushes were at least VA metres
overhead and 1 could not see my feet. I
decided to forgo this area for this trip as
these areas are favourite breeding grounds
for snakes.

Leaving this area we travelled about 15
kms and stopped to have a look in a
roadside culvert as in these areas winter
rains are collected and the pygmy Drosera
thrive. There were only a few plants of
Drosera dichrosepala that were nearly dead,
and one very large, very black and verv
angry tiger snake, a dangerous venomous
species that will often attack rather than
turn away when disturbed. Fortunately I
always carry my trustv shotgun for this
reason when venturing into these areas, so
it being a case of him or me I decided it
would be him. After this scene it made us
verv jumpy every time we ventured from
the road.

Turning from this road we travelled
along the Hassell Highway and made a
stop at a wet flat area of road verge. Here
we found a strange coloured llowering
form of a plant that has similar growth

74

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

characteristics as Drosera occidentahs and/or
Drosera pygmaea. Drosera pygmaea only
grows in the Eastern States of Australia
and Drosera occidentahs is considered en¬
dangered according to the authorities
here and confined to an area 400 Ians
north of this location. This plant is
common along the South Coast and is
possibly a new species. There were only a
few dozen of these plants, and the couple
that were flowering had a very pretty
colour of apricot. The whole plant was 10
to 12 mm wide and 5 mm high. The
single flower was borne on a scape 2 cm
high with petals 6 mm wide. Since the
plants are so small it is necessary to get
down on your hands and knees when
looking for them; this creates some very
strange looks from passing motorists.

Travelling west back towards Albany we
stopped in a parking bay on the side of
the road where Drosera occidentahs tvpe
plants with white llowers and larger
growths were very common, along with
[drosera mynantha which were in full flower.
Here the soil was a verv damp stickv clay
and it abounded in many healthy plants
of Drosera platypoda. Most of them were of
an orange to red colouration due to the
full sun that they received. Close by
under a thick area of bushes were a few
plants of an unusual form of Drosera
stolonifera. The stolons travelled along
under the litter on the ground after com¬
ing to the surface from the bulb. They
averaged 10 cm of runner before the
plants appeared. The stem then rambled
amongst the growth up to 15 cm in
sections of four to five leaves. None of the
plants had anv sign of flowers.

On the iron stone ridges nearv Drosera
scorpoides grew with Drosera platy stigma.
These plants of Drosera scorpoides had
flowers ol bright pink to mauve, a most
striking colour.

On the western side of Albany within a
railway reserve we found the white flow¬
ered Drosera scorpoides growing amongst
reeds around swampy pools. These plants
reached a height of 18 to 20 cm, but
growing in the open, a metre awav, they
only grew to 6 to 8 cm. Their leaves

attained the bright red colouration, and
flowers were pink.

The silica sand flats that bordered the
other sides of the pools were small pvgmv
Drosera that will be a new species or a sub¬
species of Drosera dichrosepala as they varied
so much from all descriptions recorded.
Drosera pulchella were verv prolific all
around these areas; nearlv all were in full
flower.

Further along a section of this reserve
had been burnt within the last three
months and the slopes were barren ol
nearly all growth except large clumps ol
Cephalotus folhculans. The clumps were
every metre or so and had pitchers up to
50 mm in length. The pitchers had not
been there long but most were ful of
insects, mainly ants. All the' clumps had
10 to a dozen flower spikes 10 cm high
yet to flower. Having no cover from the
full sun thev were starting to turn blood
red in colour. The ground of this slope
they were growing in was similar to a
sphagnum bog in that it consisted of
about 9096 masses and although no water
was present on the surface, when trodden
on a considerable amount oozed forth.
The water present would be seepage from
the hills behind this area. A few small
plants of Drosera hamiltonu had survived
the fire and were |ust starring to send out
new leaves. (See page 7 1 for D. hamdUmii
flower.)

Time to head off home and with one
last stop on the Muir Highway again,
where patches of Drosera giganlea shone a
golden green colour in the- afternoon sun¬
light. The plants were up to one metre
high and so thick that 1 was unable to
walk through them without destroying
anv of the plants. The Drosera giganlea
grew around small lakes approx. 2 to 4
hectares in size. The depth ol the watet
was only about 60 mm and covered com¬
pletely with Pul spompholyx multi /Ida and
Utricularia hookerii creating a carpet of pink
and mauve. I collected some seed and
took a few photos. On the water’s edge
Polypompholyx tenella, Utricularia menziesii
and Utricularia vwlacaea grew in small
numbers. Bv now the sun was about to

Volume 14 • September 1985

75

set so we decided to call it a day and head All plants collected were done so under
straight for home to sort out all the plants license from the Fisheries and Wildlife
and specimens. Department of Western Australia.

Chelsea Flower Show Report

For those not able to attend, the time
spent preparing the stand and also man¬
ning it was rewarded with the Silver Flora
medal. The centrepiece consisted of a cir¬
cular pond supporting a tree. A large N.
bicalcarata hung Irom the top of the tree,
whose branches had water dripping from
them. The base was surrounded by a
variety of different Nepenthes species
brought over for the show by a member
from Brunei. One end of the stand was
covered in small Nepenthes, whilst Sarracenia
formed a backdrop at the other.

Those who saw the BBC programme
“Growing for Gold” will have had a
glimpse of the tree as well as the impressive
sight of the large clump of P. grandiflora.

We hope to publish a photograph of the
stand, providing the films come out, in the
winter journal.

H ow and when do we start. The answer’s
simple, straight after the previous show.

The main problem is selecting and
having sufficient quantity of plants with
enough growth for the display.

They have to be selected, potted and
establihed before the end of the summer
and then around February given extra heat
to start them into growth. The sarracenias
tend to flower by mid/end March giving
them a reasonable number of pitchers in
time for May.

There is a myriad of paperwork to be
completed for the RHS as well as hundreds
of small but equally important tasks to
ensure success.

This year’s Chelsea programme went like
this:

FRIDAY 17th May. Pick up plants plus
R. Cantley from airport, go direct to stand
and pot up all Nepenthes.

Saturday 18th. Transport pond, tree,
plants, peat, water (soft) and start laying
out. Run out of peat so have to scrounge
from another stand. Find not quite enough

plants so have to borrow from a well-
known source in Somerset (thanks). Bv late
Saturday night stand is starting to look
good.

Sunday 19th. Sort out watering system on
tree, cover in moss and attach plants.
Finish landscaping stand.

Monday 20th. Last minute tidying up,
clear up around stand and await judges,
press and royalty. This year Princess
Alexandra paid us a visit, interview for
RHS and TVS. The BBC also paid us a visit
and we got a mention on ‘Growing for
Gold’ and BBC2 newsweek.

Tuesday 21st. Medal (if you have got one)
appears first thing in the morning, ours
was a Silver Flora. Rest of the day devoted
to answering questions on the society and
why Venus fly traps ‘pass on.’
Wednesday 22nd. The public. A lady in
Surrey informs us she has a lawn full of P.
grandiflora! Funds are raised bv selling our
guide and Venus flv trap cultivation leaflets
(with seeds).

Thursday 23rd. The public.

Friday 24th. The last day. Protect stand
from the public when plants are sold after
5 o’clock. Hire van to clear away plants,
etc. Absolute chaos. Bv 8:30 p.m. van
loaded and we are on our way. Home and
bed about 1 a.m. It’s been a long week but
worth it. Thanks must go to:

1. All those who formed the committee
for their time, transport and tele¬
phones.

2. The secretary’s parents who helped
make the pond and other parents and
friends who did endless fetching and
carrying.

3. Those members who helped set up the
stand on Saturday and those who
‘served time’ during the week and
those who helped tidy up on Friday.
Plus, of course, you know who from
Somerset for lending the plants to

76

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

By bits gigantea

bv Bill Pamment

Bybhs gigantea is an Australian species
confined to the South West corner of
Western Australia and was first discovered
by botanist and collector James
Drummond.

Favouring poor, sandy tvpe soils, it
prefers moist rather than sodden con¬
ditions and should not be grown in a
container of water during the growing
period. The plant becomes dormant in
early autumn and should be allowed to dry
out completely during this time until early
winter.

Its natural habitat being very dry during
autumn, (he plant begins new growth at
the start of winter, with the coming of the
winter rains. If repotting is necessary, it is
therefore best carried out just before
watering is commenced at the beginning of
winter.

The latter half of autumn, about the first
or second week in May, is the best time to
plant the seed. Seed should be placed in a
small screw-top glass container or plastic
phial, boiling water poured over the seed,
and the top screwed on. It remains in this
water for 48 hours, during which time it
should be given a gentle shake several
times to drive the seed into the water. (This
is necessary because the seed has an oily
covering which makes it difficult to wet.) At
the end of this time most of the seed will be

on the bottom of the container: that which
is still floating is not of much value and can
be disposed of.

Seed quantity planted should be at least
two to three times the number of plants
required. Quite a few of the baby plants
that do germinate die off because of lack of
a good root system, and extreme care must
be taken at this stage, as these babv plants
are extremely fragile. If watering is neces¬
sary, soak the container until the surface of
the mix is just damp — any excess water will
wash the plants out of the mix.

Prepare a squat plastic pot of suitable
size to accommodate the quantity of seed
being planted, with a mix of two parts of
fine, washed sand and on part of either
German or Irish peat (both are quite good).
Fill the pot to within 2cm of the top, and
firm the mix down gently with a smooth,
flat object. (I like to use a Kraft cheese glass
with its lid, which is nice and flat, on top.)
Soak the pot in a container of water deep
enough to bring the water level to the top
of the mix, allow to drain and then plant
the seed.

As the seed will still be wet it must be
planted one seed at a time using a
sharpened match or tweezers. Take care to
leave about 2cm between each seed so that
when it comes time to transplant the
seedlings, a small ball of mix can be taken

finish the stand, and R. Cantley for
supplying the Nepenthes.

Would those who offered help and did
not turn up please think carefully before
doing so next year? Because of tickef
allocation some keen members were very
disappointed. Alternative arrangements
would have meant thev could have at¬
tended.

Why do we do itP

After the hassle of setting up the stand
we question our own sanity. We look back
on it and it’s a lot of fun even after
spending a day on your feet answering

questions about Venus fly traps.

The society owes its continuation to
Chelsea. It ‘tops up’ the membership each
year to a number that keeps us solvent.

We also sell approx. 400 Guides to C.P.
plus other pamphlets, all of the money
going to Society funds.

Without doubt interest in C.P. collect¬
ing is on the increase and exposure at this
sort of event does nothing but good.

Reprinted from the newsletter of the Brit¬
ish Carnivorous Plant Society, No. 2, 1985.

Volume 14 • September 1985

77

with each seedling, thus causing less root
damage.

Having planted the seed, gently press the
seed into the mix with the cheese glass lid
(instead of covering the seed with the mix),
place a sheet of clear glass over the top of
the pot and place in a bright corner of the
glasshouse. In approximately five weeks’
time, two small leaves from each plant
should appear. At this time the glass cover
mav be removed. During this five week
period no watering should be necessary.

From the time the plants reach their leaf
stage, it is reasonably safe to transplant
them into a 15cm plastic pot, in the same
mix as above. Place them in a bright
position and water. If some coarse pebbles
are placed on one side of the pot, on top of
the mix, then the plant may be watered
from above without disturbing the surface
of the mix. Having watered the pot well, it
should not be watered again until the top
one centimetre of the mix is quite dry.

Remember these plants grow in semi-arid
conditions, not in a waterlily pond!

The big secret in both growing these
plants, and in getting the seed started, is in
the watering. “BE MEAN WITH IT,” and
if, as autumn approaches, the plants show
any sign ot going dormant (leaves going
yellow and looking very scruffy), withdraw
the water and let them dry out completely.
It they do not go dormant, then just water
as normal, as they require it. Growth will,
however, slow down quite a lot.

My seedlings, grown under the above
conditions, reached a height of 40cm in the
first nine months and flowered from every
leaf. Having seen this beautiful plant in
bright light, with all its beautiful colours
reflecting from the leaves, I can understand
why it is called the Rainbow Plant.

Reprinted from the journal of the Victorian
Carnivorous Plant Society, Vol. 2, No. 1,
1985.

Rearing Cobras

by Jennifer Brownfield

These highly prized and unique plants
are a must in any C.P. enthusiast’s
collection. Their incredible bulbous heads
and snake-like fangs on top of the twisted
stems immediately capture a person’s
attention and interest. Needless to say,
much time can be devoted to ensuring
one’s plants are in their best health, and
due to their relative rarity and high cost,
considerable concern is expended over
whether what we are doing is best for the
plant.

This is the first of a two-part article in
which I tell of my methods and techniques
for ensuring the proper care and con¬
ditions that should be provided for the
plant. I initially discuss how to care for
mature plants, their likes and dislikes, and
complete the submission in the second
part, writing about propagating from
cuttings of both rhizomes and leaves, and
finally about how to raise seeds. At this
stage, I would like to make it known that

some of the following are observations
only and may not be botanically accurate;
even though we at Al Carnivor have been
raising cobra plants for around ten years
now, we still have an occasional failure.

To continue - For the purpose of this
explanation I will consider a mature plant
to be over two years old, or a minimum of
7cm tall. This ensures that the early
juvenile leaves have ceased forming and
the following comments will apply.

For the perfectionist, a cobra should
have 14 hours of cool, bright light, good air
movement with humidity above normal,
and its roots constantlv washed bv under¬
ground cold water seepage that has a
temperature no warmer than 17°C. For¬
tunately, cobras are reasonably hardy and
fairly forgiving, allowing us, with a few
improvisations, to have reasonable success
with these plants.

Definitely the first major requirement to
consider is how to ensure a cool root system,

78

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Darlingtoma

hence the tendency to terracotta pots and
not black plastic and the like. Terracotta
can be kept cooler by frequent wetting on
the outside, duplicating a Coolgardie Safe
action, or placing the plant’s pot into a
larger terracotta pot and filling the gap
lightly with sphagnum moss which can be
kept wet. I have found that the ambient
temperature above ground is not a worry
and it can rise to above 40° C for a short

califomica.

Photo by Kim Lynch.

time without loss of the plant, so long as
the relative humidity is kept high. Other
ideas used during peak hot weather entail
using ice cubes on the surface or refriger¬
ated water, but I feel all that is really
necessary is placing the plant down on the
ground under a bench in fairly strong
shade and thoroughly watering each day —
but be aware that cobras dislike standing in
stagnant water. It is better to err on the dry

Volume 14 • September 1985

79

side than to have the plant too wet,
especially during winter, when the plant is
dormant.

An inexpensive container suitable for
cobras is the foam fruit container. Though
it is not as good as terracotta, it has good
depth for the growing medium. This is
necessary as the plant's roots are verv long
and coarse. I have found the plant is not
particularly sensitive to the growing medi¬
um and have used pure peat, peat and
riversand 3:1, and sphagnum and river
sand 3: 1 successfully. Eventuallv the
sphagnum has proven to be the best
because it is cooler during summer with
less fungal problems and a more even
moisture content throughout the year.

Repotting appears to be required no
more often than every third year, however
a three year old plant may well be sending
out “runners” by that age and repotting
will be necessary to provide extra room in
the pot. The runners mentioned are similar
to couch-grass and travel underground
from th parent plant for a distance of
around 40cm, whereupon they surface and
their ends rapidly establish new plants. The
growth rate of one of these plants conser¬
vatively is 4 to 5 times faster than an
individual plant.

The main growth period occurs from
October to May, our normal spring to
autumn span. Runners begin from around
the new year on, flower spikes around late
spring, and new leaf growth from early
spring. The first leaves tend to be ab¬
normally vigorous and a 3 year old plant
around 10cm tall can suddenly grow a
30cm plus leaf, followed by two or three
more slightly smaller leaves. The thickness
of the base of the new' leaf will indicate how
tall the young leaf will become. The leaf
grows to maximum height first then the
head and fangs blow out to their full size.

This is the time to be particularly
vigilant, for pests and grubs can cause
havoc on the young tender new growth
which unfortunately they seem to find
particularly delectable. It only takes a
micro hole on a developing new leaf to
completely ruin it when it matures, for the
hole grows with the leaf.

Cobras appear sensitive to many in-
secticdes and fungicides so use caution
here. Half-strength trials are wise. New
growth suffers first with the new leaf
browning and going hard. Older leaves
tend to lose colour and wilt over. Carbarul
is a particularly nasty spray. Perhaps it’s the
lead component. Benlate fungicide may
not kill the plant, but appears to be
harmful to new growth. Natural sprays
such as Pyrethrum and/or garlic appear to
cause no ill effects. A fungus or brown rot
can seriously afflict the main corm or
rhizome, resulting in the leaves rotting
from the base up. I suggest careful pruning
and 2 or 3 weekly half-strength applica¬
tions of a fungicide will help, but I am
eager to hear further comments on this
problem.

During winter there will not be any
growth so reduce watering, perhaps to just
once a week, and keep the plant barely
moist. I have accidentally almost dried out
plants without too much of a problem, but
this cannot be allowed during the growing
season.

Finally, the question of humidity. Cer¬
tainly a high moisture content in the air is
most suitable. The fangs and head of the
leaf are particularly susceptible to dry air
and dry out brown. Devise ways of best
placing moist sphagnum around the plant.
Standing the pot above the surface of a tray
of water may be sufficient.

Reprinted from the journal of the Victorian
Carnivorous Plant Society, Vol. 2, No. 2,
1985.

LET’S GET TO KNOW
OUR MEMBERS

Several past issues of CPN included
biographical sketches and pictures of our
members, but due to lack of input these
feature stories have not appeared lately.
Don’t be modest! Send us a paragraph (or
more) about yourself and your interest in
CP with a black and white photo or color
slide. We’d like to get to know you!

80

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Review of Recent Literature

Park.es, DM and ND HaJlam. 1984. Adap¬
tation for carnivory in the West Aus¬
tralian pitcher plant Cephalotus follicularis
Labill. Aust. J. But. 32:595-604.

This is more or less a review of the
morphological characterisucs of the
species indicating its carnivorous habit
and supporting the concept. The re¬
view is then supplemented by original
SEM and TEM of various cell types in
the pitcher, and all has been correlated
for a concept of the species evolution¬
ary and taxonomic significance in its
adaptation for carnivory. DES

Phillips, Harry R. 1985. Growing and
propagating wildflowers. The Universi¬
ty of North Carolina Press, Chapel
Hill, 331 p. (PO Box 2288, Chapel
Hill, NC 27514)

Harry Phillips is curator of native
plants at the NC Botanical Garden in
Chapel Hill and he has just authored
the best book on growing and propa¬
gating native plants that 1 have ever
seen. The book is divided into five
parts, including cultivating native
plants, propagating native plants, wild
flowers, carnivorous plants and ferns
along with several helpful appendices,
glossary of botanical terms and illustra¬
tions. In the various plant sections,
each species or genus is briefly de¬
scribed as to habit and habitat, and
then the author goes into detailed and
easy to read and understand growing
and “propping” instructions which
obviously bespeak a depth of knowl¬
edge and experience. You can rest
assured that he has used each method
successfully. Where he is dubious and
where there are difficulties, he admits
to these.

Of special interest to our readers, of
course, is the CP section which covers
all the eastern US genera. This section
alone, along with the general intro¬
ductory material, makes this a valuable
reference to all of us, and of course to
those of us with interest in ferns and

wildflowers; the rest is a happy bonus.
(Write publisher at address above for
ordering information.) DES

Joel, D M., Geptstein, S. Chloroplasts in
the epidermis of Sarracenia purpurea ss'p.
purpurea (the American pitcher plant)
and their possible role in carnivory: An
immunocytochemical approach. Physi¬
ol. Plant 63(1): 71-75 1985.

Using light and electron microscopy,
as well as fluorescent and immuno-
histochemical techniques, it was dem¬
onstrated that photophosphorylation
and carbon dioxide fixation occurs in
die bottom zone of this pitcher plant.
The authors discuss the significance of
this system to the aquatic organisms
inhabiting the pitchers of this plant.

Sasago, A. and T. Sibaoka. 1985. Water
extrusion in the trap bladders of Utric-
ularia vulgaris. 1. A possible pathway of
water across the bladder wall. Bot.
Mag. Tokyo 98:55-66.

Experimental techniques such as Sodi¬
um azide inhibition and encasing all of
the bladder but that portion near the
entrance with paraffin, indicates that
water egress occurs via the bifid tri-
chomes located near the entrance.
Data includes observation of bladder
shape changes and measurement of
pressure changes. DES

N & V (from page 60)

the Venezuelan valley which looks pre¬
historic and where the Heliamphora are
found. The plant did not appear to be the
well known species in cultivation.

1 have been experimenting on a way to
prolong the life of D. burmanru ‘Green’.
During 1984-85, I grew many individuals
which flowered and died. I decided to cut
off a flower scape as soon as it was no¬
ticeable. The plant now is still thriving
and all the others died more than four
months ago. I will continue to cut all new
scapes and will let you know how long it
survives.

Volume 14 • September 1985

81

Sarracenia minor.

Drawing bv Matthew Hochberg

WANT ADS

When submitting Want Ads, please be
sure to print clearly for best results and
to eliminate mistakes. Please circle the
correct letter before each item (Want,
Trade, Sell or Buy). Want ads are limited
to carnivorous plants, terrariums, green¬
houses and moss. There is a charge of
ten cents per item, with no limit to the
number of items you may submit per
issue.

Send coin or check to:

Arboretum, Want Ads
California State University
Fullerton, CA 92634

David Holguin III (1807 Arnold Palmer Dr., El
Paso, Texas 79935) (WB) Cuttings or seedlings
of: Nepenthes - rajah, villosa, X kinabaluensis, and
town.

Lee’s Botanical Gardens (P.O. Box 7026,
Ocala, Fla. 32672) regrets that due to prob¬
lems all business transactions have stopped
until we relocate in Miami and reopen for ’86.

Paul Sprung (Rt. 1, Box 240. St. Francis, Maine
04774) (WTB) Sarracenia flava X rubra, compact
forms of Sarracenia leucophylla.

ASIAN
NEPENTHES
SPECIES
FOR SALE

1. Well grown.

2. Good quality.

3. Prompt delivery.

4. Special packing.

5. Competitive price.

6. Airmail post.

Price list on request.

The Straits Aquariums Pte. Ltd.

Lim Ah Pin Road, P.O. Box 626
Singapore, 9154

RCHID
DIGEST

Read all about them!

New orchid discoveries!

State-of-the-art care!

Shows, meetings, parties!

Send your check today — only $18 —
for a whole year to:

Mrs. Norman H. Atkinson

Membership Secretary

P.O. Box 916, Carmichael, CA
95608

82

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter

Tissue Culture Kits

for carnivorous plants

Carolina Biological stocks the most comprehensive
listing of plant tissue culture materials available
anywhere — from individual living cultures and culture
kits to media, media components, and a wide array
of culturing apparatus.

For over 55 years, we've supplied the world with
unsurpassed materials for science education. And
since the beginning, we’ve backed every product we
sell with an unconditional guarantee.

Want more information? Call Dianne Gerlach at
919 584-0381.

19-1200CN Cape Sundew Tissue Culture Kit.

Drosera capensts. Using a stage 2 cape sundew
culture, students initiate new cultures by leaf cut¬
tings or by separating the plantlets already in cul¬
ture. After more plantlets are formed, they are
transferred to pretransplant medium to form roots.
With instructions

Stage 2 Cape Sundew Culture

2 Jars Cape Sundew Multiplication Medium

3 Jars Cape Sundew Pretransplant Medium
Scalpel, Forceps, Ruler

Per kit $19 95 postpaid

19-1400CN Venus' Flytrap Tissue Culture Kit.

Dtonaea muscipula Using a stage 2 Venus' flytrap
culture, students divide the plantlets and place
them on multiplication medium. Four weeks later,
cultures are transferred to pretransplant medium
or to potting medium Kit includes all materials
except alcohol, sterile water, and sterile petri dish¬
es With instructions.

Stage 2 Venus’ Flytrap Culture
10 Tubes Venus' Flytrap Multiplication Medium
10 Tubes Venus’ Flytrap Pretransplant Medium
Forceps and 2 Teasing Needles
2 Tissue Culture Racks
Per kit $44.25 postpaid

All products
unconditionally
guaranteed!

Order direct by phone —

Call Toll Free
800 334-5551

NC customers call toll free 800 632-1231

We honor MasterCard, Visa,
and American Express

Name _

Address _

City _ State _ Zip

Telephone # ( _ ) _

Qty

Cat #

Description

Unit

Price

19-1200CN

Cape Sundew Kit

$19 95

19-1400CN

Venus Flytrap Kit

$44 25

NC customers add 3% sales tax

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Carolina Biological Supply Company

2700 York Road Box 187

Burlington, North Carolina 27215 Gladstone, Oregon 97027

Volume 14 • September 1985

83

Insect's eve view of pitcher of Darlingtonia califomica.
that fool insects into entering. Once inside, insects
and eventually fall to bottom. Photo

OEC 1 6 m

Note ‘MiEWw^ORKl
d

lazrfmas.

GAFIDEN