CARNIVOROUS PLANT NEWSLETTER VOLUME 9, Number 1 / r \ / f MARCH 1980 .4 ? ^ r>v "JEW YORK GARDEN > V*- , #> CARNIVOROUS PLANT NEWSLETTER Volume 9, Number 1 March, 1980 Cover “Monster” rosettes od L). erythrorhiza troni Jurieii Bav, just North of Perth, Western Australia. .Measured 11 ein in diameter and were between 50 and 60 years old (as determined by sheath counting technit|ue). See text page 10 for more details. The co-editors of CPN would like everyone to pay particular attention to the following policies regarding your subscription to CPN; All correspondence regarding subscriptions, address changes and missing issues should be sent to Mrs. Kathy Fine, c/o The Fullerton Arboretum, Dept, of Biology, Cali¬ fornia State University, Fullerton, CA 92634. DO NOT SEND TO THE CO-EDITORS. Checks for subscriptions and reprints should be made payable toCSUF FOUNDATION - ARBORETUM. 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 ,rrc those of the authors, not necessarily the editorial staff. Copy deadline for the June issue is May 1 , 1 980. CO-EDITORS: D. E. Schnell, Rt. 4, Box 275B, Statesville, NC 28677 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 SECRETARY-TREASURER: Mrs. Kathy Fine, 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, 1 29 Agostino Rd., San Gabriel, CA 91776. Circulation: 609 (92 new, 517 renewal). Subscrip¬ tions: $7.00 annually, $9.00 foreign. Reprints available by volume only. © 1980 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter. All rights reserved. 2 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter FORMAL FORMATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CARNIVOROUS PLANT SOCIETY We, the Co-editors, would like to announce that beginning with this issue, we are now otficially the International Carnivorous Plant Society and that the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter is the official journal. This step is being taken after much planning and consultation between the Co-editors and the Fullenon Arboretum. Editor’s Comer As we begin our ninth year, we would like to welcome all of you, old and new alike, to what we hope vdll be another successful year. This issue will be devoted to the sundews as well as updating the CP Book list and Source List. Our principal source of material is the subscribers and we encourage you to submit papers for publication. To facilitate our processing them, we would like submitted papers to be typed and double spaced on standard size paper and that any line drawings be done in permanent black ink on white paper. We would like to keep any slides that we use for any future reprints, but if requested we will return them after publication. Slides that are to be considered for the covers should have a vertical orientation and a caption which includes any dates and the name of the photographer. Seecf Bank PATRICK DWYER (St. Michael’s Epis¬ copal Church, 49 Killean Park, Albany, NY 12205) writes regarding the seed bank: Keep the seed donations coming in! Try to get seed donations into the seed bank be¬ fore the first of the month before each issue of CPN; that is when the seed inventory is sent in. This will insure that the seeds are as fresh as possible. Please make sure that the seeds are fresh, viable, and correcdy labeled, as we have tio way of checking them. Thank you again for everyone’s help and support. (Patrick’s report and inventory were ac- cornpamed by $^00 which will be used to help defray printing costs of CPN. The editors again wish to thank Patrick for the many hours he devotes to the Seed Bank, j Patrick filled or answered a total of 431 orders and letters in 1979. As of January JO, 1980 he had received 86 orders and letters. He asks that people ordering immediately after CPN comes out should be patient, since he usually receives ‘'0-100+ letters at that time. Volume 9 • March 1 980 3 To send seed: Please remove seed from the seed cairsules and place it is small envelopes jtreterablv pa|rer so that thev drv out enough to prevent mold'. Label with the origin and date ot collection, including habitat if it is exotic. Fold the envelope over once or twice before taping so that the seeds don't stick to the tape. After the seed is re- ceised it will be placed in smaller packets; donors will be informed of how manv [tatkets the\' have donated. A donation of 10- IP packets earns one tree seed packet of romparable raritv, with one free tor eacli additional 10 packets. Do not ask to trade lor seed from the bank. Eceiwone will have to buvall but their free packets. Wlien vou send seed, indicate whether it is for the seed bank, for Patrick’s seed project or for a personal trade. The seed bank is separate from his collection. To orekrseed: Please enclose pavnient. List the seeds desired and an equal number of sub¬ stitutes in order ot preference. If recjuested, Patrick will add any culturtrl instructions of whicti Ite is aware. Patrick will answer all let¬ ters and orders as quicklv as possible; if vou receive no response within two weeks (U.S.) to a month (outside U.S. | please write again. Eacli issue of CPN will indttde an update of the inventorv. Cost per packet: 50c. (Number of packets is listed if less than 15 are available). SEED BANK INVENTORY Byblis liniflora, Darlirigtmia californica, Dionaea rnusapiila, Drosera adelae (1), D. aliciae (2), D. aliciae (pale flower) (7), D. auriculata, D. bimta, D. burheana (4) , D. burrnannu (15), D. burmannii (giant form) (1), D. burmannii (Taiwan) (1) T)- capensis, D. capensis (narrow), D. capillaris, D. capiUaris (Gulf giant) (2) , D. capillaris (long leaf), D. capillaris (pink flower) (2), D. capillaris (white flower) (4), D. capillaris mix, D. erythrorhiza, D. filiformis filiformis, D. intermedia, D. linearis (14), D. linearis x rotundifolia (8), D. montana (3), D. montana (white flower) (10), D. natalensis (6), D. peltata, D. planchonii (5) , D. rotundifolia, D. rotundifolia (oregon), D. spathulata, D. spath. (Kansai), D. spath. (Kanto) (2), D. spath. (round leaf-Japan) (1), D. spath. (white flower) (3), D. sp. (U.S. rosette mix), Sarracema [lava, S. flava (Gulf), S. flava (Gulf-hw vein) (9), S. flava (Gulf vllw/hw vein mix), S. leucophylla, S. minor, S. psittacina (Gulf) (4), S. purpurea purpurea, S. purpurea venosa, S. purpurea venosa (pink 11) (8), S. rubra alabamensis (8), S. rubra gidfensis (11), S. rubra jonesii, S. alata (purple) x leuco. (9), S. alata x rubra F2 (5), S. flava X oreo. (7), S. leuco. xfava (mixed with S. leuco.), S. leuco. x minor (4), S. leuco. X rubra F2 (6), S. purp. x leuco. F2 (3), Sarracenia mix (7), Ultricularia calcyflida (6), U. dichotoma v. uniflora (1), U. inflexa, U. juncea (1), U. lateriflolia (2), U. racemosa (1), U. subulata f. cleistogarna (1) 4 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter News and Views CLIFF BERGER, JR. (Rural Route #6 Box 146, Plvniouth, Indiana, 46563). Is inter¬ ested in contatting people in the Indiana- Michigan area about organizing an affiliate society. TERRY DAVIS (3538 NW 21st St., Gainesville, Florida 32605). Enjoyed your article on Heliamphora — excellent as usual. I have been boning up on mycorhizal sym¬ biosis as applies to mv first love. Bonsai, and on reading your description of the problems you have had with Heliampfvna seedling, it sounded like this might be it. The root svaitbiont is obligate in many species and your seedlings behave classically like a fungal-depentlent seedling being raised in a sterile situation. Try mixing in some of the soil from the root zone of well-established plants to see what happens. Spores of a symbiont might also be used especially from a particularly efficient species of broad host range. RICKY DEITCH (R.D. #1, Boiling Springs, PA 17007) has an idea to offer: CPN could print or have printed a series of books, one for each genus. For each plant there could be a full page color picture of the plant with the opposite page having information about the plant. If successful, the books could be combined into one big book showing every carnivorous plant in the world. This would be fantastic for those interested in C.P. I kirow I would want one and I’m sure many other CPN subscribers would want one also. CPN could make a lot of money so it could continue to be pub¬ lished. I hope this suggestion has helped. ANTHONY FORD, (320 E. O’Keefe, #4, Palo Alto, California 94303.) I would like to request that you repeat an article contained in a past issue of CPN concerning pronun¬ ciation of scientific names. I am getting a lit¬ tle perplexed in discussing plants with other CP enthusiasts who sometimes throw me oil completely with some well-intended, set blatantly mispronounced, plant name. Plants I Iretjuentlv find lalling \ it tint to bail pronunciation are anv plant named alter sonieone, sut h as Drosera hamiltoui (the siiec- ific name of which is often pronounted like some strange lonn of spaghetti) which is generally due to pronouncing the ‘i’ at the etid as a long ‘e’. The genus Drosera is ofteti commonly fouled up. Look, fellow CPers!. I like to talk [slants; however the idea of scietitifit names lot plants and animals was to create a natne universally accepted and uniformly pronounced by scientifically-minded [seople worldwide. Please try to learn to correct wa\- to sa\- the words. MICHAEL D. GODDARD (90 So. Yates, Denver, CO. 80219) writes: I have been experimenting with a possible new method of growing C.P. from seed. I used a 50 gal. aquarium with a four bulb fluorescent light (4 loot). The fluorescent tubes were 2-cool white one daylight esne w'arm white [slacecl directly on tcr[s of the t.uik. 1 left the light cm 24 hrs. a day seven days a week exce[st for a seven henn rest period once a week. OttJanuar\' 27, 1 received 2.5 pkgs, of seed that I purchased frotn the C.P.N. seed bank, all were planted the same day that I received them. I ttsed a 50-50 venniculite and sphagnum moss mixture in styrofoam salad cu})s. I then placed them in the tank on top of 4” of pea gravel witli water. The seed was a variety of Drosera, Nepenthes, Sarracerua, Pingmcula, and Byblis. The temperature in the terrarium re¬ mains a constant 76 degrees F. with the humidity about 9096. Be sure to have a spray bottle of Benemyl solution handv as it will be needed. I used a 5096 solution to avoid possible damage to the seed. With this method I w'as able to get Byblis growth Volume 9 • March 1980 5 in 9 davs D. anglica in 12 days N. chelsonii x rafjlesiaria in 28 davs. I have left the plants in the terrarium since Januarv 27 with the ex¬ ception of separating some of the more robust plants. I was able to get 44 Byblis liniflora, 12 D. indica. 1 2 D. peltata 20 D. capillans and good sets on most of the other plants. 1 hope that the above data will jrrove helpful to anybody wishing to grow C.P. from seed. JEFF HELMER (3620 Shawnee Road, San Diego, CA 92117) has the following thoughts: When 1 saw the picture of a steam shovel uprooting a field of Sarracenia on page 112, Vcrlume 8, it made me wish 1 could be there to help. It seems to me some¬ one could save endangered plants and do a serxnce to CPN subcribers at the same time bv digging them up and sending them to CP growers for the shipping price plus a little to cover his troubles. 1 for one, would like to enlarge my CP collection fora reduced price and save a threatened plant as well. How about the rest of you.^ JEFFREY GOLD (13126 Anza Drive, Saratoga, CA 95070) writes that he would like to contact anvone who might have anv caniivorous fungi. He is highly interested in obsemng them. RON HUMBLE (3113 Libertv Rd., Greensboro, N.C. 27406). 1 like to em¬ phasize mv agreement with Bob Hanra- han’s observation on transplanting ter¬ restrial Utricularias. In the second growing season of growing U. juncea, the photoswr- thetic leaves were smaller and fewer in number than the previous vear. The scapes were onlv a filth of last years size. In the ar¬ ticle in CPN 8,: 47-50, Mr. Hanrahan re- comtnended repotting the plant to renew vigor in growth. JIM MILLER (2319 Ninth St., Green Bav, Wisconsin 54304). “1 have spent much of the last ten vears or so exploring the Gulf Coast region for native carnivorous plants. In the course of these travels I have gained a lot of information regarding the habits and distribution of these plants. In correspond¬ ing with CP enthusiasts around the countrv', I noticed a lot of interest as to the current status and numbers of Gulf Coast popula¬ tions. In response to this interest and to provide some observations regarding these plants I have issued A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF GULF COAST CARNIVO¬ ROUS PLANT POPULATIONS. This repon is available for $3.00 postage paid or two copies for $5.00. A companion report on northern CP is in the works. For foreign mailing AO rate, please send $4.00 per copv.” C. SCHON (3660-10 Vista Campatia, Oceanside, CA 92054) Over the vears, in various publications, 1 have seen various plans for small home growing chambers. For plants that love humiditv, most of these plans either have the growing mix on the bottom of the structure, or the [tlants potted and suspended somehow above a bottom laver of water. Both of these svstems have distinct disadvantages, the most obvious being stagnation and poor control in gen¬ eral of the humidifving substrate. Further¬ more, having a water laver can be dangerous if lights and other electrical equipment are used in the environment. A solution to the problem is to use a laver of some kind of water absorbent material at the bottom, with the plants, (set on a plate or whatever to prevent uncontrolled water absorption), placed on top of the humidi¬ fying substrate. In my experience, the best material for this purpose is panamint earth, which is sold on the West Coast in granu¬ lated form in pet stores as “kitty litter’. It comes in a fine gravel size, and is a light tan in color. Despite its day-like appearance, it will not break down, even if kept immersed in water for vears. Its merits lie in its ability to store and transpire a great deal of w’ater. The corrugated shape of the grains allows for greater surface area than water, thereby increasing the potential for humidification. This material mav be useful in potting draint^e-loving species, but it mav be of the wrong pH for it appears to be a sedimentary mineral . Most of the material sold contains a 6 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter deodorant, which must be removed some¬ how if it is intended for use as a potting material. Another advantage of this substrate is that a heating cable, (made for plant bedding), can be strung through the material at a depth of about three inches. The cables sold by Park Seed Co. seem to be best for this system. Any environment with a surface area of eight square feet or more will ac¬ commodate one of the itianv cable lengths. When the material becomes foul or salted, it is far easier to change than water or growing medium. When in use, at least half of the depth of material should be immersed in water tor maximum efficiencv. I do not know if this material is sold nationwide, for it is mined in limited quan¬ tities in Califortiia. Finely broken pieces of crocker\' would probablv make a suitable, (and expensive), substitute, with coarse sand or fine gravel as a poor third choice. MRS. LILLIAN SEVERIN (22570 San Juan Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014) writes: I recently took a Nepenthes ventrkosa to an or¬ chid meeting. It tiad four w'ell developed “traps” present, and I thought the plant might add interest to the plant table. Wheti it was returned to the greenhouse late Fridav night, it w'as placed on a table. The next morning, the “traps” and platits were covered with ants. It remained there until Monday morning, with ants aU over it for 2 davs. However, when I came in Monday morning, there wasn’t an ant in sight. That was four months ago, and I haven’t seen an ant in the 20 x 40 greenhouse since!! Have you ever heard of this.^ Up to this time ants had frequendv ap¬ peared, and I’d killed them with a light sprinkle of chlordane powder. I would be interesting to see if anyone else had heard of such a “happening”. TOM STORY (1112 Klengal St., Antioch, CA 94509) wTites that he had a praying mantis that managed to intercept many of the bugs attracted to his Nepenthes data plant. However, it eventually fell itito a pit¬ cher itself “As I was grow ing rather attached to the mantis and had come to thitik of it as a pet, I felt the satne wav towards tnv plant as mv grandmother does when her cat eats a bird. But then, like the cat, it couldn’t help itself As it turned out, other tnantis’ have cohabitated with the plant and they have been smarter”. Tom also warns us that it is a mistake to use Mir- Acid for growing Utncularia as mentioned in CPN Vol. 8 (3): 77 ( 1 979) since use of this fertilizer led to the deatli of his aquatic plants. JULIE STROM BERG, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, is seriously researching the endangered species, Drosera linearis. She is recpiesting anv information anyone is willing to share regarding distribution, ecology’, locations, habitat preference, culture recjuirements, etc. Location information will be ke})t in strictest confidence. Address: Julie Sirom- berg, 7033 N. Fairchild Circle, Milwaukee, WI 53217. SPECIAL NOTICE CPN readers mav be interested in a publicatioir called A HORTICLILTURAL GUIDE TO AUSTRALIAN PLANTS. The book is being produced as a series of loose- leaf sets of pages to be added to a binder. On one side of each page is an extremely well printed color photo of the species of that page. On the other side is printed information in tabular fonn of all sorts of good information on the species: botan¬ ical, geographical and horticultural. The sets are up to Set 6 as of August, 1979. Only three CP species have been included thus far (Nepenthes mirabiUs, Cephalotus folliculans, and Drosera prolifera), but Bill Lavarack promises there will be more in the future. For information on purchase or subscription to the sets, write: A Horticultural Guide to Australian Plants, do SGAP, Q]d Region, P.O. Box 809, Fortitude Valley, Qld. 4006, Australia. Volume 9 . March 1980 7 Short Notes Cannington Swamp R.I.P. (Born about the time of the dinosaurs. Died 1981) by Allen Lowrie, 6 Glenn Place Duncraig, 6023, Western Australia Cannington Swamp is situated about 30 km S.E. of Penh. The land is typical swamp flats and heath on a few rolling hills. In the summer when the swamp is bone drv, the water table is approximately 60 cm under the ground. The nature of the soil is basically white silica sand and leaf mould. Cannington Sw'amp has always, in the past 12 vears, been for me the most reward¬ ing area for the most number of wild flowers found in one spot. Twenty different types of natiye orchids are to be found here, not to mention the thousands of different natiye plants, from Banksias to gums, and, of course, the plants I’m nuts about — CP. The wildest things to be found, though, are the signs which read, “Don’t pick the wild flowers.” It seems they don’t apply to bulldozers. Half of Cannington Swamp is now a housing and shopping complex. An¬ other two years will see the end of this great flora area. On my last trip to Cannington Swamp with fellow CP nut Robert Oliyer*, last winter, we w'ent exclusiyely to collect as many different types of CP as w'e could find. Byblis giganka has a yery strong hold in Cannington Swamp. Byblis grows standing in water in neat clumps, bush-like, approx. 75 cm high. Drosera gigantea is everywhere, standing up to 90 cm tall, branches arranged in the shape of a triangle, longer branches on the bottom of the main stem, smaller to the top. The shield-shaped traps occur in three’s along the branches. At the end of every branch is a flower spike made up of small white flowers, a truly splendid sight. The tubers of this plant are found about 30 cm under the ground. It took me nearly 30 minutes to dig out the complete plant. I found the easiest wav to collect D. gigantea was not on the dry ground but in the swamp itself I found I could work my hand down more easily through the sand and mush underw'ater to the tuber, then with a little movement around the tuber loosen the plant and ease the plant out the mush. This method took only a few' minutes and a lot less sw’eat. Drosera rutidula is in abundance along with D. pidchella. I also found Steve Rose’s find Igiant D. rutidula) a couple of years ago, which w'ere 5 cm across, beautifully red in colour in a neat compact rosette. Utricularia menziesii were to be found in clumps up to 10 cm across right in the heart of the sw'amp on little elevated islands. Many clumps were in flower. Their vivid red blooms against their deep green leaves made a very' attractive sight. U. menziesii, I believe, has three types of traps: One blad¬ der type at ground level (sitting on the ground), one trap radiating out sideways into the soil, and a different trap below. The trap on the ground level along with the shape of the leaves, gives me the impression of a small Cephalotus plant. It’s a pity the overall visual effect is so small. Drosera erythrorhiza covers the ground like a carpet around the base of every Banksia tree, mosdv back up from the swamp on higher ground. The two Polypompholyx spe¬ cies grow right in the water. Theremust have been millions; I couldn’t walk anywhere in (Please turn to p. 24) 8 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter BIOLOGY OF WEST AUSTRALIAN TUBEROUS DROSERA by K.W. Dixon and J.S. Pate Deparmient of Botanv, Universirv of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia. 6009 Western Australia contains a particularlv large proportion of the world’s carnivorous plants. Over half of the known ninew spe¬ cies ot Drosera occur in this pan of Australia and a much larger proportion of the tuber¬ ous species of the genus is endemic to this region. As a rvpical example we will de¬ scribe D. erythrorhiza , a conspicuous rosette species of the winter flora of the coastal sandplains of South Western Australia. It is a member of the subgenus, Ergaleium (De Buhr, 1977 1 and dies down each summer to a dormant subterranean mber. Each season a new tuber forms into the casirv of the old expended tuber, the successive vears of ‘skin’ or epidennis of the parent tubers building up layers of protective sheathing around the tuber (Fig. 1). By counting these epidennal sheaths it is possible to obtain a minimum estimate of the age of the plant in © ROSETTE OF GLANDULAR LEAVES DAUGHTER RHIZOME ROOTS SUCCESSIVE SHEATHING LAYERS ANNUALLY PRODUCED REPLACEMENT TUBER PARENT TUBER cm Fig. I. Peak g^ow^h stage of Drosera erythrorhiza (xl). Leaf rosette fullv expanded and receptive to organism capture and digestion. The underground stem has attached daughter rhizomes which swell tenninally to produce daughter tubers (see insetl whilst at greater depth a replacement tuber develops within the tissues of the emptving parent ruber. Volume 9 • March 1 980 9 years (Dixon and Pate, 1978). Tubers can be sheathed by as many as fifty epidermal layers in plants from certain habitats, but up to twenty layers per plant is a more usual number. The protectiye sheaths enable the tuber to resist temperatures of 60°C for up to four hours and no doubt enhance its capacity to avoid desiccation in the long hot summers of its natiye habitat. I), erythrorhiza will tlower only after a summer fire, releasing the small, orna¬ mented seeds (Fig. 2a) in late autumn. Germination is apparently a rare eyent, oc¬ curring in nature only in seeds older than three years. One- and two-year old seeds fail to germinate under a yariety of test con¬ ditions. A single plant of D. erythrorhiza can pro¬ duce up to thirteen daughter tubers a season, each tuber forming tenuinally on a swollen lateral rhizome which deyelops horizontally from the nodes of the plant’s main stem (Fig. 1). These daughter tubers sprout to produce small plants the following winter, and can produce full-sized leaf rosettes in a matter of three or four seasons ol growth (Front Coyer). If lateral rhizomes are remoyed from a plant and stored in pots of moist sand, they will deyelop small terminal tubers. This indicates that the process of tuber formation can occur on a rhizome without further nutrients or stimuli from the parent. D. erythrothiza exhibits a circular con¬ formation of its colonies. Each group of plants is up to 2 metres in diameter and con¬ tains up to two hundred plants (Pi. A). Rosettes of clones may merge to comprise a continuous lawn of glistening tentacles, which, at the height of the winter, contain a yeritable grayeyard of insect corpses. Preliminary studies indicate that in cer¬ tain habitat situations D. erythrorhiza can obtain a significant portion of its annual Fig. 2a. Scanning electron micrograph of a seed from/), erythrothiza (mag. x200) after applicatioti of a thin film of gold-palladium alloy. (Left, above) Fig. 2b. Scanning electron micrograph of a small area of the leaf rosette of D. erythrorhiza (mag. x28). Leaf surface covered with small sessile glands and larger tentacles tipped with swollen glandular heads (mucilage removed). (Right, above) 10 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter Pi. A. Densely packed clone of D. erythrorhiza^ PI. B 1) erythrorhiza tail spoil variants within newK emerged clones wliii h are lor ihe imrin lacking stalked glandular hairs. These plants do not have the ahihtx' to digest insects. The mans flower ftearing stems of D. macrophy/la are a familiar sigfit on granitit rocks ihronghont the S.W. of Western Australia. 1 1 Volume 9 • March 1980 requirement for nutrients by digestion of trapped insects. Isotopic labelling studies of mature plants of Drosera erythrorhiza show absorption of the heavy isotope (isN) if fed vinegar flies ( Drosophzla rmlanogaster) labelled with this isotope. The studies show that the Drosera utilizes the nitrogen of the flies with 76% efficiency. Assuming that a similar ef¬ ficiency of nitrogen digestion were to apply to organisms caught by wild populations of D. erythrorhiza, it has been estimated from studies of insect catches in nature that car- nivory might account for between one- quarter to one-half of the nitrogen acquired by the Drosera plants during a season of growth. Over-supply of insect prey occurs when an excesive number of organisms are cap¬ tured by D. erythrorhiza. More than four Drosophila me/tttwgasifr/plant/week (ie a supply of insects equivalent to 0.1 mg N/ plant/week) results in carcass decay before plant digestion is complete, and in necrotic areas developing on the leaf. Plant variants occur which lack the muci¬ lage secreting stalked glands (Pi. B) on the leaf rosette. These “glandless” plants fail to catch prey in habitat situations. Laboratory studies using carbon and nitrogen labelled insects also indicate an inability to digest insect carcasses (Dixon, Pate and Bailey, in press). Although nitrogen provided from insects is important, other nutrients (eg. phos¬ phorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, etc) also come from insects. These nutrients, further nutrients absorbed from soil, and carbohydrates formed in photo¬ synthesis are conserved in the aestivating tubers. Certain key nutrients (eg. phos¬ phorus and nitrogen) are mobilized from vegetative parts to developing tubers at the end of the growing season with over 80% ef¬ ficiency so that a plant can survive a poor season with virtually no additional intake of nutrients. Indeed, in pot culture there is lit¬ tle loss in plant vigour if tubers are grown in nutrient-deficient white sand watered with distilled water. Vigour is, however, reduced in subsequent seasons. In the wild, tubers accumulate high levels of phosphorus and other nutrients, especially after a season’s growth in soil enriched with the ash of a recent fire. Repeated severe drought can result in complete death of clones, as occurred recendy in Western Australia in the dry seasons of 1976 and 1977. Plants developing from daughter tubers relocate their subsequent replacement tubers at progressively greater depths by production of a vertical stem or dropper which grows through the base of the parent tuber. Eventually, after a depth of 5 - 8 cm is reached, the plant replaces its tubers in situ, to give the sheath-enveloped tubers typical of mature plants (Fig. 1). On the few occasions when we have dis¬ covered seedlings we find that these also engage in a depth-seeking system of tuber replacement. However, because of the high temperature and dryness of the upper soil layers and the small amount of nutrient capital in the original seed, there is a high mortality of seedling plants over the first few summers. Mortality is highest when tubers are still relatively high in the soil profile. Although the studies to date have con¬ centrated on D. erythrothiza, many other members of the subgenus Ergaleium show similar strategies, although habitat dif¬ ferences are vast. For example/), bulbosa and D. gigantea are often completely submerged in water in seasonally swampy areas, whilst D. stolonifera and D. maaantha are typical of very dry habitats. Many of the tuberous Droseras cati be grown from seed or daughter propagules and some produce showy flowers in pot culture (eg./), bulbosa, D. macrophylla (PI. C), and D. stolonifera. Drosera zonana (Rear Cover), grows well in pot culture, but like Drosera erythrorhiza, requires fire before flowering. Our experience with the Western Australian sand plain Droseras is that their aibers should be stored dry at 25 - 30° C in pots of sand through summer. Gradual addition of water to pots in early (Please turn to page 23) 12 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter Three Australian Sundews by Warren Stoutajnire (Dept, of Biology, Univerity of Akron, Akron, OH 44325) Southwestern Australia is a botanictdly remarkable area where plants assume growth forms not common elsewhere, where thev adapt to their specialized hab¬ itats in uncommon ways and where they grow in some of the world’s most nutri¬ tionally incompetent soils. Sundews are re¬ stricted to poor soils and the Western Aus¬ tralian soils, sarcastically referred to by some fat Titers as “silver loam,” are ideal in this respect. More than half Drosera spe¬ cies occur in the soutliwestern corner of the slate between Pertli and Albany. The Drorcra soils which 1 have tested are acidic with a pH range of 4. 8-6. 2, aie very deficient in ni¬ trogen and usuallv low in organic matter. Such soils also suppon a rich orchid llora until cleared for agric ulture. All Drosera hab¬ itats are moist in w'inter and most are totallv dr\' at the surface in summer. Winter frosts are occasional but never last long and sum¬ mer temperatures are often above 40°C during the several rainless months. Sun¬ dews ar e dormant during this time, as seeds in annual I), glandnligera, as buds perched above the hcjt sand and gravel in the pygmv species, or as deeply buried wfiite, yellow or red tubers in the other perennial sjiecies. Drosera gigantea (Pi. A, P. 14) thrives in some coastal white sand swamps where it forms large colonies of branched vellow- green 20-100 on tall plants covered with small white flowers in tlie September - Oc tober spring. It tdso forms large popula¬ tions in the wet gravellv laterite soils below granite outcrops in tlie Darling Range just inland from the west coast as well as farther inland in similar shallow soils over granite. Drosera gigantea coiins are buried deeplv in the gravel and sand and are difficult to extract without digging equipment. The seasonally wet outwash areas are botanically rich in other unusual plants such as ephemertd trigger plants and liladdei’worts, several showv orchids, kangaroo paws, grass trees and bright-flowered shrufiby mem¬ bers of the MvTtaceae and Proteaceae. The vernal pools on the granite have their share of unusual short-lived aquatic plants, including pygmy Isoetes species. Drosera stolonifera is a variable species with several growth forms. Near Perth it grows in the white sand swamps of the coastal plain as luxuriant 4-branched plants, the inflores¬ cence of white flowers emerging from the center of the green cruciform system. Plants seem to flower and seed best after summer brush fires tdt hough this may be subjective. Thev are much more visible after sucfi fires. The Darling range form growing in laterite develops considerable red in the leaves and stems and also flowers profusely after fires. [" Photo taken (on slide & date)] Drosera zonaria grows in sterile white sand where it forms large patt lies of green, red- edged rosettes. The species flowers so rarely that few botanists have ever seen the event. Leaf rosettes begin to turn brown and begin dormancy early in the spring days, disap¬ pearing completely bv early summer. While growing it is one of the most colorful but not the largest of the rosette species. SPECIAL NOTICE In thej une ,1979 issue of CPN on page 45 (CPN 8:45), there appeared a notice byaMr. Steve Hawkins offering a booklet of CP line drawings for 50 cents. One of the co-editors (DES) has received a letter from an individual who sent for tire booklet (50 cents enclosed) in August, 1979, and has not heard anything. A followup letter went unanswered, and co-editor Don Schnell also sent a letter to Mr. Hawkins with again no reply. We are wanting others not to send for this booklet until the matter is resolved. In the meantime, we would like to hear from others who sent for the booklet and have or have not received it. Volume 9 . March 1980 13 I), Plate C. D. Plate D. Photd hv jim Miller Photo bv |ini Miller 14 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter DROSERA REGIA by Bob Ziemer, P.O. Box 4562, Areata, CA 95521. When I first received my plant of Drosera regia from a friend, it was a small specimen and I grew the plant in a 4-inch pot under grow-lux bulbs in mv house. During the first summer, it grew reasonably well but put out only a maximum of 3-inch leaves. Last fall a large amount of salt (probably 1 0 grams) fell from a skunk skin 1 was curing into the pot of D. regia. By the time 1 observed this disaster, the plant had completely wilted and the leaves turned black. I leached the plant atid sphagnum for 3 days in fresh water. Within two weeks, there was a new leaf emerging but it only was 1-inch long. Later, the plant went dormant and the leaves were only !4-inch long with no tentacles. I did not realize that these plants had a dormant phase but it lasted from November to February. In mid-February, larger tentacled leaves began to appear. I then transferred the plant to a 10- inch plastic pot filled with live sphagnum moss. The plant is now growing and routinely putting out 16 inch (40 cm long) leaves. I have been spraying and watering the pot about everv 2 weeks with l/IO strength Hoaglands solution (a complete fertilizer) and occasionallv spraving the leaves with fish emulsion. About !4of the leaf surface of each leaf is covered with spiders, mos¬ quitoes, and flies which have been trapped naturallv. The plant is growing in an unshaded greenhouse which is surrounded bv red¬ wood trees and at this time of vear (^4av) receives about 3 hours of direct sunlight. However, manvof our davs are overcast and the light intensitv is often low. Lighting is supplemented with Vita-gro lluorescent lamps on a 12-hour photoperiod. The greenhouse heater is set to go on at 45°F (70°C) and the vent fans go on at 85°F (29°C). Thus the plant receives cool tiights and warm days. The night temperature at this time of year will be about 50°F (10°C). Apparendy, D. regia enjoys these conditions because it grows vigorous and healths'. (Plates C & D). Pmguiculas gotta swim, Sarracenias gotta fly. by D.C (Box 6830, Stn D, Calgary, In the netherworld of taxonomy, the botanist and zoologist seldom cross each other’s path. Their Latin nomenclatural systems are independent and a commonly shared name is not particularly upsetting. Thus it is that Byblis is a crustacean and Cephalotus is a mammal. Darlingtonia is not only the cobra plant but also a reptile. And how appropriate that Dionaea is both a fly and a fly-trap! With reference to the title, Pinguicula must swim because it is a mollusc, and Sarracenia flaps its wings because that is what butterflies do. . Speirs Alberta, Canada, T2P 2E7) One of the more interesting nomen¬ clatural cross-connecdons is that of Aldrovanda. There is no animal with that exact name, as far as 1 can determine, but there are three runners-up in the close-but- not-quite category. Aldrovandia is a fish, Aldrovandietla is a flv, and .Aldrovandium is a mollusc. What really makes this interesting is the fact that the original name for the platit was Aldrovandia, but the name was mis¬ spelled and the error perpetuated bv Lin¬ naeus; thus the incorrect version is the otie that now stands. Volume 9 • March 1980 15 DROSERA LINEARIS hv Donald Schnell Drnsera linearis Goldie, appareiulv never ver\' common in the past, is a rapidly de¬ clining species. Generallv, its range is east¬ ern boreal in the Lbiited States and Canada, extending into Maine, Michigan and as far west as Saskatchewan (Bine Jav 3h: 74-75, 1978) . The species was recently redis¬ covered as a small colony in Crystal Bog, Aroostook Cctnnrv, Maine iRhodora 81: 14 5, 1979), and recently additional colonies in the same, large bog have been found (George Newman, personal cor¬ respondence). The species was once easily lound as far south as Oakland County, Michigan, but has decreased markedly in that area. Drnsera linearis appears less able to cotn- pete with othei plants than most other car¬ nivorous plants and grows best and cjften \ery prolificalK' in so-called marl bogs err lens (intul ten is probably the preterred wetland term). The latter are wetland areas with a base crl sand (usually) covered by a mixture of grass-sedge peat tuid marl (cal¬ cium carbonate). The mtul-peat mixture is in small, soft grannies and imparts a rather greasN' texture to the soil. The ten usually has 1-3 cm of water overlying the marl where D. linearis can grow. There are usually widely spaced plants of grasses and sedges leasitig many open areas which the linear-leafed sundew is able tc) cctlonize. Sarracenia pur¬ purea ssp. purpurea can also grow in similar habitat where it respoitds with the so-called ■‘ri[ticola” grovsih habit (Castatiea 44:47-59, 1979) . A tspical soil analysis done by me on marl-peat from a good D. linearis bog still extant in northern Michigan shows a pH of 8.0, Calcium 9000 ppm. Carbonate pos¬ itive, Manganese 7.5 ppm and Aluminum 100 ppm. (partial results or more interesting hndings listed). There is the usual low N aitd P, but Potassium was 200 ppm. Other Droseras ot the regiern (D. rotundifolia and D. anglicai and merst Utricularias do not grow well in such soils. (Lf. cornuta is a commern exceptioti.) Frec|uently, the marl fen is surrounded by and contains island-like hummocks of sphagnum which in many instances has been known to overgrow' the bog and even¬ tually impart an acid reaction to it, where¬ upon it becomes a raised bog of low mineral content. The sphagnum surrounding the fen and in the hummocks supports a rich growth of the other two species ot Drnsera, and additional Utricularias. Many times in a few remainitig good locations, one can see an edge gradation around and on the hum¬ mocks with D. linearis growing in the marl around the hummock, hybrid plants of D. linearis xrotundifolia (sometimes thought of as “sterile xanglica”) in tlie tnoss of the base of the hummock, and the other two Drnsera species in the sphagnum at the top. Even though the reaction ot the marl in antilysis is basic (see above), the water in the fen is frequently near neutral (pH 7.0) or even slightly acidic (pH 6.8 e.g.), the latter probably reflecting acidification of spritig waters percolating through surrounding sphagnum mats before the w'ater spreads out over the open fen. As alluded to pre¬ viously, D. linearis can grow iti continuously damp marl soil and in water to a depth of about 1-3 on; flooding ot the fen in very wet weather can jtroduce considerable loss of D. linearis plants if the flooding is prolonged. Occasionally, one sees a few individuals growing upon to sphagnum and other moss mats, but these plants appear depauperate. P'loweritig occurs in mid-summer (mid- July to mid-August) and the shiny, black 0.5- 1 .0 mm seeds fill large capsules by Sep¬ tember. The species will self if not open pol¬ linated, so there is usually abundant seed in a good tlow'ering year. CULTIVATION — This is difficult outside the species native climate. The plant is acutely attuned to northern photo-period and temperature cycles and aberrant responses to cultivation are common in 16 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter areas further south such as North Carolina. Here, the plants tend to go in and out of winter bud stage several times during the spring and summer, and thev grow much smaller. However, if one pavs careful at¬ tention to providing maximum light vs. preventing excessive heating of the growing container, and providing evenlv cool dormancy conditions during winter, the plant can successfully be grown to flower¬ ing. The seed genninates abundantlv after stratification (autumn maturing seed), and stores well under drc refrigeration, so propagation to seedlings is easily accom¬ plished. I have found that native (or arti¬ ficially mixed) marl soil gives the best long¬ term results. The plants are in plastic pots with drainage holes (these covered with paper toweling to keep soil in while letting water pass) and the pots placed in saucers which are kept filled. Others grow the plants in Sphagnum or other mosses, but my ex¬ perience has been that while such a system may maintain the plants for one or tw'o years, thev are eventually lost. In a northern Michigan marl fen, I have seen the plants growing profusely in cracks of fallen logs lying in the water of the fen! PRESERVATION, AND WHERE TO SEE D. LINEARIS — While the chief threat to the species seems to be natural environmental change and local specific environmental damage wrought by development, cumulative massive harvesting of plants is obviously to be discouraged since many colonies are quite small. I have mentioned one par¬ ticularly fine area with probably the best remaining colonies of/), linearis in northern Michigan, but will not disclose or further characterize geographically this unpro¬ tected area for obvious reasons. Anodier excellent area that is protected but open to observation is the Petrel Point Preserve owned by the federation of Ontario Nat¬ uralists. This preserve is located on the western shore of the famous Bruce Penin¬ sula in Ontario, the peninsula extending into Lake Huron. There is a boardwalk from which obseiAations and [ihotographs can be made without disturbing the delicate ecosystem ol the fen. Also, the jtreserve is closely monitored to prevent vandalism which of course is punishable bv law. The Petrel Point fens have some of the best Dro- sera stands on the Bruce Peninsula, includ¬ ing some interesting hybrids and back- crosses with pat ticularlv large leaves. (Note: Soil analyses were done with the Hellige 697-18 comprehensiv’e soil testing kit. and water pH’sw'ere detennined in the field with a portable electronic pH meter.) ADDENDUM Since completion of the text of this note, a paper has appeared (Michigan Botanist 18: 137-142, 1979) describing in part redis¬ covered and additional locations of D. linearis in the Red Lake Peatland of nonhern Minnesota. Drosera lineans in flower. Northern Michigan, July, 1979. Photo by author. Volume 9 . March 1980 17 Drosera lineans habitat in iionhern Michigan. This is a ponion of a large marly fen. Photo bv Don Schnell Closenp of above plants. Photo by Don Schnell 18 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter A new Drosera record for New England Bv Dr. George Newman (22 Carriage Lane, Bedford, N.H. 03102) In August, 1978 my family and I visited the northwest portion of Newfoundland. This is a ver\' interesting area with extensive limestone barrens lining the seashore in many areas. The whole penninsula has an arctic to boreal climate witli many plants at sea level which are usually lound in higher mountains or much further north in Labrador and Greenland. The baiTens are covered with Rhododendron lapponicum, Tofieldia pusilla and Salix vestita. Pingiikida vulgaris is extremely abundant, being found in small crevices in open, almost dry-ap¬ pearing areas. These plants tend to be slight¬ ly dwarfed, while those found growing in slightly more sheltered areas are much larger. These areas are often subject to high winds and late spring snowstorms. At Port au Choix there are many small ponds scattered throughout the barrens. Sur¬ rounding many of these there are shallow zones of water, contaitiing sedges and grasses which are usually found in alkaline soils. Scattered among these there are large colonies of Drosera anglica. In some places they are common enough to color the water red. Drosera was always in shallow, rather mucky water growing with moss species, but almost never in sphagnum. The drier areas at the edge contained large number of Dro¬ sera rotundifolia and Sarracenia purpurea. Dro¬ sera linearis was located earlier in the centurv' in the same area; however, I was not able to find it. I have transplanted several clumps of Drosera anglica to mv bog garden in New Hampshire; it has done well in a mixture of sand and sphagnum peat, with a small amount of limestone added. Last year, Sally Rooney rediscovered Drosera linearis at Crystal Bog in Southern Aroostook County, Maine (see CPN 8: 68, 1979), growing in an alkaline open area. This July, Sally Rooney, Candy McKellar and Les Eastman found another larger stand about one tnile distant, growang in shallow water, often at the edge of moose runs. Les Eastman found a Drosera new to New England growing in the same place. This proved to be Drosera anglica! This August I visited the larger station with Les and we found many plants of Drosera lineans. Scat¬ tered tliroughout an open area of shallow water there were many small clumps of Drosera anglica. in slightly dryer areas there were large numbers of Drosera rotundifolia. Drosera intermedia and Sarracenia purpurea. Adjacent areas contained Utncidana inter¬ media and Utricularia cornuta. The D. anglica was growing in shallow, rather mut kv water, occasionally in sphagnum. Most of tfie sur¬ rounding platits were acid lovers as the usual calcifiles were aftsent. The Droseras were identified bv leaf shape, position of the stipules and morphologv' of tfie seeds. For¬ tunately die bog is owned by The Nature Conservancy. D. intermedia with captured craned ies. Photo bv B. Hanrahan. Volume 9 • March 1980 19 Publication of New CP Cultivars bv James T. Robinson iBox 1625, Connectic ut College Aiboretiim, New Lcjndon, CT 06320) Please send the lollowing information when snljinitting CP cnltisars for pub¬ lication: 1. Cnlti\ar name — include the genus and species frcnn which von selected the cultivar. The cultisar name must be in accordance with tfie Cultisated Plant Code": a. The cultisar name should be markedU' different from the Latin botanical name. English words are usualK’ used. Each word of the name should begin with a capital letter. c. The name should be enclosed within single t]uotation marks. d. Tlie name sticruld consist of one or twcr words, but not more than three words. e. Avcrid using the same cultivar name lor selections from different species of CP. f. An example: Fraxinus amencana 'Autumn Purple', an ash cultivar witfi outstanding fall color. 2. Description — describe what character or characteristics distinguish this individual from tvpical indis iduals of the same species, f urge vou to propagate vour new cultivar asexuaJly to preserv'e its uniejue genetic composition. If possible, distribute plant material to frotanical gardens or file a voucher specimen at a major herbarium. 3. Color photograph — optional, but helplul. 4. Your name and address — if someone else discovered tlie plant, include fiis name and address. 5. Miscellaneous information — anything else about the cultivar sucli as origin or location; i.e., found in wild, found in culti\ation; vear of discovers’, location of an herbarium specimen, or botanical garden wliere cultivar can be seen. 6. Send tlie above information to me at the address given. I will maintain a file of all material and periodically publish a list of new cultiyars in CPN. Publication will include a summarv' description of each and the name of its atithor. Llpon publication your cultiyar will be le¬ gitimate. * International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants — /969 (available frerm Tlie American f4onicultural Society, 701 N. Saint Asaph St., Alexandria, Virginia 22314; price about $3.00). I), lapensis \ D. \f/alhulala .Artificial hybrid Photo hv David Tavlor 20 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter Review of Recent Literature Franck, DH. 1976. The nior|3hological interpretation of epiascidiate leaves. Bot. Rev. 42-345-388. A thorough review of the various theories of ontogeny of ascidiate leaves in the families Nepenthcaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Cephalotaceae and Lentibttlariaceae. It is concluded that best evidence indicates that the tubular leaves are derivatives of peltate structure with the upper (adaxial) surface cupped into variotts tube struc¬ tures of the families during develop¬ ment, hence c/^tascidiate. This general concept is applied to each family widi additional specifics; e.g. Nepentheaceae wherein the broad laminar pan of the leaf is a modified and lengthened leaf base, the tendril is the petiole and the pitcher is the rolled lamina. The phyl- lodeal theoiy is rejected; this, the flat leal structures of some Sarracenias (S. Jlava, S. oreophila) are probably not phyllodea, but unexpanded or ensiform leaves. The nature of tlie traps in Utricularia is some¬ what variable; some species are clearly modified whole leaves, in others thev appear to be modified leaf lobes, and in many it is unclear. Likewise, the aerial leaf-like photosynthetic structures are in some instances modified stems, in others stolons, and in some leaves. DES Haber E. 1979. Utricularia geminiscapa at Mer Bleue and ranger extensions in eastern Canada. Can. Eield Naturalist 93: 391-398. In addition to reporting this station located east of Ottawa for the first time, the author also discusses the differentiation of the species from U. vulgaris 2md im¬ portant ecological considerations. Many of the bogs in the region are craters remaining from bombing range practice in WWII! A detailed description of the species in all phases is also given. Harms, VL. 1978. The native carnivorous plants of Saskatchewan. Blue Jav 36: 71-81. Kevs, brief descriptions, herbarium cita¬ tions and excellent line drawings ,ilong with dot-location maps are features ol this good ai'ticle on the CP of the pro¬ vince which iticlude Sarracema purpurea, Drosera rotundifolia, D. anglica, 1). lineans, Utricularia cornuta. U. intermedia, U. vul¬ garis, U, minor, Pinguicula vulgaris and P. villosa, Johnson, PH. 1979. Venus’ Flvtrap. Gardening 1: 34-39. A good popular article on the plant, written mainlv from a consersation angle. There is one text error: Seeds ol Diunaea do NOT require stratification prior to ger¬ mination since the seed tnatures in late spring to early sutnmer. The article also features nine full color photos bv Donald Schnell, Jerome Wcxler and Da\id Thomas. Schnell, DE. 1979. Sarracenia rubra Walter ssis, gulfensis: A new subspecies. Castanea 44: 217-223. The fifth subspecies of S. rubra recognized by the author is herein fomiallv de¬ scribed. Two B&W photos. (Reprints: DE Schnell, Rt. 4, Box 275B, Stateville, NC 28677, USA). Slack, Adrian. CARNIVOROUS PLANTS 1979 Ebury Press, London, England WIV 2BP. This 240 page book is illustrated w'ith six¬ teen color photographs and manv in B&W which were artistically taken by Jane Gate. The author describes all the world genera of CP and explains in detail each of the trapping mechanisms and the ecological niche thev occupv in the Volume 9 • March 1980 21 world. Many drawings made by the author accompany the explanations and descriptions especially in the chapter that deals until Nepenthes. The last section in the book deals with die cultis’ation of the plants in fine detail for ev'eryone wishing to grow these plants. The two appendices deal unth the raising and naming of Sarracema hybrids and the listing of Nepenthes horticultural hybrids. The book ends unth a list of suppliers of plants and, materials and a glossarv' of botanical terms used in the text. This book is an ideal text for anyone who is either starting or already growing CP for their enjoytnent. Wheeler, GA and PH Glaser. 1979. Notable \ ascular plants of the Red Lake Peatland, northern Minnesota. Michigan Botanist 18: 137-142. Among the carnivorous species discussed, are Drosera anglica supported for the first time by a voucher in the state, and D. lineans (photo) as a rediscoyery in Min¬ nesota. Other companion CP spp. mentioned only are Utrkularia cornuta, U. intermedia, U. minor, Drosera intermedia. (Ed. note — The CPN co-editors wish to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of D.C. Speirs of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in keeping us informed of Canadian publica¬ tions on carniv'orous plants. He has been sending us bibliographic citations or copies of papers and articles, many of which would have been missed in our screening. We ap¬ preciate his efforts in helping to keep this section of CPN as complete as possible.) Drosera peltata var gracilis Photo by J.A. Mazriinas 22 Carnivorous Plant Newsletter (continued from [r. 12) autumn (Southern Hemisphere) will pro¬ mote early rosette growth and, in certain species, flower produaion. Although natural flowering of D. erythro- thiza is usually stimulated by a habitat bush- fire over summer or early autumn, removal of tubers from soil and storage in closed paper bags for a week or so, followed by re- plandng, can result in up to 20% of the tubers producing inflorescences. Burning plant liner on the soil surface of pot grown plants will also induce flowering, but the addition of cold ash to non-stimulated tubers has no effect. Studies have yet to con- fimi the nature of the stimulus caused bv fire. High concentrations of ethylene gas in soil during and after fires may well be a key factor in initiating floral primordia (Smith, 1977). A hug [Cyrtopeltis sp.) cohabiting and gaining nutrients from the captured prey of D. gigantea. Photo by DLxon and Pate. Not all tuberous Droseras are ametiable to cultivation. D. gigantea. a branched erect species up to Ifi metres tall, inhabits swatnpv ground and its large tubers (up to 2 cm in diameter) are often buried up to 70 cm deep, usuallv at the base of a layer of silt or sand overlapping a clav pan. These con¬ ditions would be difficult to simulate in culture. The reader is referred to the anicles listed below for funher information on the bi¬ ology of .Australian tuberous Droseras. REFERENCES Chandler. G, E. Anderson, J. VV. (1976). Studies on the origin of some hvdroivtic enzymes associated with the leaves and tentacles of Drosera sjx'cies and their role in heterotrophic nutrition. New Phvtologist. 7 7(1): 51-62. Chandler. G.E., Anderson, J. W. (1976). Studies on the nutrition and growth of Ithosera spp. with reference to tfie Ciutiivorous habit. New Phvtologist. 76 (1): 129-141. Chandler, Graeme. Tfie Uptake of Digestion Products bv Drosera. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter. (1978) 7 (2), .51-54. De Buhr, L. E. ( 1977). Set tional reclassification of Drosera subgenus Ergaleunn, (Droseraceae). •Australian Journal of Botanv 25: 209-218. Dixon, K.W., Pate, [,S. (1978), Phenologv. tnorphology and reproductive biologv of the tuberous sundew, Drosera erythrorhiza Litull. Australian Journal of Botanv. 26: 441-454. Dixon, K.W., Pate, J.S., Bailev, W. (in press). Studies of nitrogeti uptake and habitat predation h\ Drosera erythrorhiza Lindl. Australian Journal of Botanv. Pate,J.S., Dixon, K.W. (1978). Mineral nutrition of Drosera erythrorhiza Lindl. with speci