Peltata X Auriculata ? - Definately not - but still strange.

[Belinda]

Hi

when i first became interested in cp's i collected a few small samples of seeds.

One of these has grown into this plant .

I think it may be an example of the elusive peltata x auriculata .

The flower buds are hairless and look like Auricultata buds .

The basal leaves are round .

Unlike auriculata this plant flowers at a height of only 6cm.

Anyhow heres some pics .

What do you think ?

the rosette leaves

The flower and hairless buds

This plant seems to be a little unusual what strikes me the most is it flowers at such a short height

regards Belinda

Also on another note if you saw my pics of the meristocaulis accident with the soccer ball and the plants .I am happy to report that i repotted into a 50 /50 mix of white aquarium sand and peat and the plants have nearly all survived . Starnge tho germination was 100% in waterlogged spahgnam but growth rate was extremly slow .Since repotting into the peat mix the growth rate has accelerated . Ive also placed the pots under grow lamps to create a little more humidty .

[Binataboy]

I would say it a D. auriculata. It is an incredably variable species ad I have seen many "small forms", but this is usualy a result of the conditions.

It will be interesting to see the seed. It is pssible that it is a hybrid but unlikeley as they would be very rare. I have never had a hybrid from my plants and they all flower togther.

Keep an eye on this one, you never know

Cheers

George

[Sean Spence]

The flowers look very similar to the WA form of D. peltata and different to those I have seen in eastern Australian plants. Looking very closely at the sepals you can see that they are not entirely glabrous- a small amount of "scuffiness" can be seen. A very interesting plant. As George has said, the seeds will be very interesting and give us a further clue.

[Fernando Rivadavia]

Cool to hear the D.meristocaulis are alive!!!!!! :)

[Dan]

Hi Belinda,

I once found a population that looked to be hybrids between the local D.peltata and D. auriculata (variably hirsture sepals and very poor seed set).

To drag up some old images:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~emma_dan/C...rra_Sundews.htm

It's so hard to tell if somethign is a hybrid because there's heaps of variation in these plants around Canberra (as the above URL attests - red forms growing next to green forms, white and pink petals also intermixed). As George says, the seed morphology could be indicative. In common with Sean, I've not seen flowers quite like yours on eastern Australian plants - very interesting.

Cheers,

Dan.

[Belinda]

Thanks for the input.

i'll post some pics of the seeds if they set .

The flowers are more beautiful than the normal peltata flowers .

Look forward to more input when we have seed pics.

regards Belinda

If the plant does indeed appear to be unique i'll send you guys some seeds.

regards Belinda.

[greg bourke]

I agree with those southerners. Seed morphology may be the deciding factor but also tuber colour and texture would be interesting to note.

I think the Blue Mountains is a very interesting place for Drosera. There is so much variation in D. peltata, D. auriculata and D. binata there. It is where northern, southern, eastern and western forms meet like nowhere else. Access is difficult to many areas and populations can be isolated. There are many secrets yet to be revealed.

I am planning a field trip here with the Australasian Society on the 6th of November if anyone is interested. Not sure of the exact location yet but depending on the fitness of those who turn up on the day we may try to get into somewhere a little off the track.

Greg

[Belinda]

This plant has eventually set seed .Ive cut of the brown flower heads

and have some seed already.

Anyhow the seed is Definately NOT Auriculata,it appears to be somewhere around a true peltata seed .

Unfortuately i dont have the ability to take a pic of the seed .

I have a hand held microscope and can see the seed quite clearly .

(it does look slightly different to orther peltata seed shots posted by binataboy in the past ).

This clearly puts an end to my hope for a natural cross -but that still doesnt explain the unusual flower and minute size .

I think this may be a form of peltata - unique to this area -

This colony is like nothing else ive seen before .

There is also a pink form of standard peltata in the same area but this particular colony seems unique to me anyhow .

What sets it aside the most for me is the round rosette leaves and the lack of hair on the flower buds and the shape of the bud

( idential to shaw s ridge auriculata)and of course the beautiful flower.

I'll Do some more investigating and post the results

regards Belinda

Have added some extra pics - some of earlier in the growth cycle

and a pic of the flower of the pink peltata from same area - to highlight how different this plant is .

pink pelata -

orther shots of mystery plant - grown from a small amount of seed collected from the colony - when i first became interested in cps.

[Binataboy]

Hi Belinda, very interesting!!

I would be very interested in seing some seed. If you post me some I can post some pics here if you want (and I would love to see the seed for myself!!)

I was given a single tuber of a plant from Northern NSW that (apparently) has hair only on the edges of the sepals, unfortunatly it is only a dormant tuber and I have not seen this plant in growth. I have seen seed from what I assume is the same form (as the description, locations are very simmilar) so would be very interested in compareing these with your seed. I had a pic of these that I lost, I will see if I can dig up these seeds again and post another pic :)

Interestingly I have just been looking at some "green rosette" "peltata" from Dubo. These plants look very simmilar to foliosa in many ways with the same seed shape. But the one thing I did notice is that the sepals are almost glabrous... :?

I think you have something VERY interesting here. I cannot wait to see what shape the seeds are!

Cheers

George

PS I am easier to contact on email than PM

[Khelljuhg]

Actually, a Japanese grower has hybridised D. peltata and D. auriculata, although I am not sure if your plant is his hybrid.

[Sean Spence]

Highly unlikely considering how many different forms of D. peltata and D. auriculata exist.

[Binataboy]

Khelljuhg, do you know if the hybrid was fertile? Also do you know what "peltata" was used in the hybrid? I have seen what I believe to be hybrids of (TRUE) D. peltata and D. auriculata, they seemed to have very low fertility.

Cheers

George

[Khelljuhg]

Well, I only know the fact that D. peltata and D. auriculata have been hybridised in Japan and somewhere else, so I am not very sure what has become of those hybrids. As to the one made in Japan, the parent D. peltata may be the Japanese form.