fishycps

Hi, I keep all my temperate pings in well ventilated coldframes outdoors. Temperature is not the issue. The plant in the picture is now dead, rotted through to the base of the crown along with every daughter plant that was in contact with the infected leaves. It only took 48hrs from the pic. I've transplanted all of the seemingly daughter plants and treated with Captan. Fingers crossed...... Ian

Hi Stephen, I keep them in coldframes with the lid propped open to ensure they get good ventilation. Ian

Hi Ian,so far I'm pretty certain it isn't frost, no other plants have been hit. The pattern is consitent with last year when I first observed it during that balmy May we had, it starts out with a leaf yellowing and then going pink/red. It then progresses inwards to the crown and then it's curtains for the plant. I had a couple for which solely Captan seened to help for a while, the Fungus Fighter if anything hastened the plants demise. It's only in the latter stages that fungus is readily apparent. I could be wrong on IDing it as a fungus, I'm afraid I'm only a zoologist! Cheers, Ian

Hi, last year my temperate pings were hit by what appeared to be a fungus which came in with some P. grandiflora rosea I bought. It spread to neighbouring pots (yes I know I should have quarantined it from the start) and killed a whole bunch of grandiflora, leptoceras and macroceras. I tried treating with Fungus fighter and Captan but to no discernible effect. It then seemed to stop however as the Pings died back into their winter buds. I thought I might get a fresh start this season but it now appears to be back as you can see from the attached pic of P. grandiflora rosea x longifolia. Is there anything I can do other than discard the affected plant? Help! Ian http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/uploads/gallery/album_554/gallery_5316_554_439702.jpg

Great stuff Aymeric. I was trying to find out what P.arvetii actually was last year with little success and your succinct and clear description has clarified the whole story for me. I have to do a post on Burren P. grandiflora and Cork lusitanica shortly. Thanks, Ian

My brother is a physicist come engineer and he sent me on this link. It's great to see our obsession appreciated fot it's level of sophistication. Ian http://www.rdmag.com/News/2011/09/Materials-Materials-Science-Researchers-Take-Advice-From-Carnivorous-Plant/?et_cid=2122287&et_rid=220276974&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.rdmag.com%2fNews%2f2011%2f09%2fMaterials-Materials-Science-Researchers-Take-Advice-From-Carnivorous-Plant%2f

Hi Aymeric, nice pics. I guess the size of the population gives it away, curiously the Lisdoonvarna population I visited recently is not much bigger. I'll post my pics of them and the other Clare populations in the next few days, I haven't had a chance to download them yet. A cloud of suspicion with respect to their origin still hangs over them so the genetics will be very interesting. I'll be down in proper grandiflora country again next week so I'll get some pics of the giants from the Conor Pass then. Pics of the flowers will have to wait until next year I'm afraid! Ian

Beauties! I've just been checking out two of the Burren, Co. Clare Irish grandiflora populations getting a few leaves for Marios genetics project today (following discussions with the chief botanist in our parks and wildlife service to ensure that it's ok to do so), I really wish it was a few months ago with the flowers out. Ah well, now I know where they are, there's always next year. Pics are promised! Ian

Ian and Dianne, it's a great looking set up you have. I'm most envious! I'm afraid I've shot my bolt for overseas CP trips this year so I'll unfortunately not make it. I do hope to make it over sometime in the future though. I hope the weather holds up and you have a great day. All the best, Ian

I had one in my hand ....... then I put it back, it isn't even cute! I just couldn't bring myself to spend money on it. Ian

Ah yes, Kilcrohane, my first job after I finished my PhD was in 1995 and it involved a lot of diving in Dunmanus Bay. We used to stay in Kilcrohane in a B&B run by Sheehans I think. Kilcrohane also sticks in my memory as on one student trip down to Schull some years previous (early 90s) a number of our group drove from Schull into Ballydehop for chips after having had a few pints (Very bold, I know). They spotted the local police squad car on the way out of the town and dived off down a side road fearing being done for drink driving. THe rest of us were all just back at the house in Schull when we heard the phone ring, we couldn't find the keys as the missing group had them so one of us climbed in a window and anwered the phone to be greeted with what became immortal and oft repeated words: 'PT, where in hell is Kilcrohane?'. THe lads had run out of petrol in Kilcrohane, woken up the proprietor of the petrol station and headed off back to Schull. The proprietor had, probably wisely, rung the police, and the lads were intercepted. After a dresing down they very kindly showed them the way home! I don't think that would happen in this day and age! Ian

I've buckets, cover the postage and I'll send a bunch. Ian

Drop me a line if you do and I'll give you directions. You should see the Conor Pass near Dingle in Co. Kerry, the grandiflora get to 7 inches! The landscape is spectacular too. P. grandiflora is the one CP you can reliably spot while driving by, sure lime green starfish do stand out! Ian

I was down in Co. Cork for work on Tuesday and detoured to the Healy Pass on my way home the following day tcheck out the CPs there. I had been describing the site to a number of people at EEE and they seemed sceptical at my descriptions of the abundance of P. grandiflora in particular so hopefully this will give an idea of how it is almost a weed in some spots it grows in such profusion, even in car parking areas! Unfortunately I was so wrecked after a late return from EEE I forgot my camera and wellies, the latter proved a sorry loss on one of the wettest days of the year! THe photos are from my phone so they aren't great (rain on the lens didn't help either) which really annoyed me as it proved the first time that I have come across a P. lusitanica out in the open asking to be photographed. THe previous year I failed miserably even with a macro lens as they were so well hidden in the grass and rushes. Luckily this time the sheep had helped and cropped back the vegetation! Anyhow apologes for the pic quality but hopefully you'll get an idea of this beautiful spot. The first pics are taken at a spot only 10m from the road, a few km from the top of the pass D. rotundifolia - this was a particularly big one [/img] D. intermedia - lots of it in the wetter spots [/img] [/img] [/img] The elusive P. lusitanica, saying: Photograph me! Photograph me! [/img] P. grandiflora was fairly common here, generally in the characteristic bright green clumps, often on grassy areas [/img] I then went a km further up the pass to the area where the grandiflora grow really thickly. This is a car parking area so you can view a particularly pretty little waterfall. The car there before me missed them by 30cm. [/img] THis is what appears to be a man made cutting just off the road and the area from which the grandiflora are washed out onto the road in heavy winter rains [/img] I suppose I'd better show thar waterfall I mentioned Just a view down the valley with a cutaway blanket bog on the far side Another view, you can see why it's rated as a classic drive. I promise next time I'll bring my good camera! But if you are ever in Ireland you should visit. Cheers, Ian