Fred's Carnivorous Plants and other oddities

[fredg]

This is yet another final version of the solar air pump in use with the Utricularia.

The final set-up using the solar air pump. Three trays with an airstone in each. The Utricularia are planted in pond baskets of two sizes, 11 x 11 cm and 19 x 19 cm.  Now let's see how they grow.

[fredg]

Please forgive me if I'm a little quiet for a few days. I started up a new Carnivorous Plant ( and other plants) forum and I'll be transferring files.

If you're interested it's here  http://fredg.boards.net/

[Maggi Young]

Okay Fred, at least we'll know you haven't fallen into an enormous pitcher and got stuck.....

[fredg]

Falling into pitchers is just clumsy. The real terrors are the big stickies like Drosera regia, that'll whip an arm off as soon as look at you.

[fredg]

Mini clothes pegs
I spotted these in the stationery section of Wilkinsons, they're wooden, 3cm long and 50p for 24

When using those green twisty plant tie thingies on a small cane plant support ( I use wooden BBQ skewers) it's often difficult to hold the green twisty plant tie thingy in place unless there's a well placed leaf axil. With these it's problem solved. Just clamp the peg on where you want it and the green twisty plant tie thingy can't drop past it.
I used the first one this morning. A Darlingtonia pitcher was being a bit unruly in the doorway of the greenhouse, it's now held firmly back and in check. That saves damage or removal. Result!

[fredg]

Some of my Dionaea in flower.

[fredg]

An update of the Darlingtonia House for July.

I've started removing the worst of the old pitchers and all unwanted seed heads ( I've only retained three). There are three new arrivals so there was a bit of a reshuffle. I've no idea how I came to the conclusion I could house all my Darlingtonia in the one greenhouse. It must have been a senior moment

[fredg]

Pleurozia purpurea a carnivorous UK  Liverwort

This subject arose in discussion today with a long time fellow carnivorous plant grower Stephen Morley at his open day. I mentioned my Liverworts and said a carnivorous one would link two of my plant types and there it is.

http://www.bbsfieldguide.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdfs/liverworts/Pleurozia_purpurea.pdf

The lower leaf lobes of Pleurozia species are fused, forming a closed water sac covered by a movable lid similar in structure to those of the angiosperm genus Utricularia. These sacs were assumed to play a role in water storage, but a 2005 study on Pleurozia purpurea found that the sacs attract and trap ciliates, much in the same way as Utricularia. Observations of plants in situ also revealed a large number of trapped prey within the sacs, suggesting that the species in this genus obtain some benefit from a carnivorous habit.

is a Wooooooooot! appropriate?

[fredg]

This year I left some roots of Stylidium debile as an aquatic in a Dionaea tray. A good crown was formed and it sent up a small inflorescence. I have now taken pity on it and planted it up in a 13 x 19 cm long tom. The bottom half is peat / potting grit, the top half red sphagnum so at present the roots are all in the sphagnum.



The pot is sitting in a flooded deep saucer

[Hoy]

. . .

I've started removing the worst of the old pitchers and all unwanted seed heads ( I've only retained three). There are three new arrivals so there was a bit of a reshuffle. I've no idea how I came to the conclusion I could house all my Darlingtonia in the one greenhouse. It must have been a senior moment

You could if your house was big enough

It is an impressive collection you have anyway. Do you grow some plants outside?

[Maggi Young]

I saw this and thought of you, Fred !
Phytotaxa 220 (3): 257–267 (24 July 2015)
Drosera magnifica (Droseraceae): the largest New World sundew, discovered on Facebook
PAULO MINATEL GONELLA, FERNANDO RIVADAVIA & ANDREAS FLEISCHMANN


Drosera magnifica . photo ex Facebook.

"New plant species 'discovered on Facebook'

Experts identified a plant pictured on Facebook as a new species, since named as “drosera magnifica“, or magnificent sundew, according journal research paper "

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/11762745/New-plant-species-discovered-on-Facebook.html

Good to see that not everything posted to Facebook just disappears into the ether, never to be found again. 

[fredg]

Yes thanks Maggi. one more sticky for the collectors ( eventually).

You could if your house was big enough

I'd need a bigger garden too Trond.

. Do you grow some plants outside?

They can be grown outside but I've always found that they look far better when grown under cover.

I have another answer for you too Trond.

That little Pilularia globulifera started to run amok in the sphagnum suddenly new fronds were appearing 4" (10cm) away from the main body Something unidentified started to crop it too ( possibly slugs) so I removed it to its own half tray of sphagnum ). I replanted the original two quarter trays into sphagnum but they're not racing away like this one. I think the cropping has stopped ( 6 slug pellets), so we'll see what it gets up to next.

[brianw]

With all the rain over the last 2 days my pots of Darlingtonia and Sarracenia outside are trying to float, and are inevitably top heavy. Having to decant the excess water. Can't complain; all my water butts are full.

[fredg]

Send some this way, I have plenty empties

[Hoy]

Slugs I know about

No lack of water either. Don't need to collect in buckets.