Fernando Rivadavia Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 (edited) Hello to all, One of my big fustrations when I visited South Africa 9 years ago was that I was not able to see the dark-purple flower form of D.cistiflora. A factory, or something like that, had been built on top of the area where they were known to grow in Milnerton, just N of Cape Town. Upon my return to Cape Town in September of this year, I was happy to learn from Eric Green that in the years since my previous visit a new population of purple-flowered D.cistiflora had been discovered in Milnerton. During dinner one night with Eric and my travel companions, I scrawled a rough map while Eric described how to get to this site. Eric's memory for details is fantastic and we easily arrived at the right place. But although we spent half a day walking all around the whole area, we couldn't find a single Drosera. On another day, we were able to convince Eric to join us and he easily led us to the spot where the purple D.cistiflora grew. To our disappointment, there were not many plants, they were all very small & scraggly, and there wasn't a single flower bud in sight. Now that was frustrating! It was maybe even worse than not seeing the plants at all... On that same day I think, Eric took us to another town further N from Cape Town where he had also seen purple D.cistiflora years earlier. Unfortunately the whole area had changed a lot and we were not able to find the right spot (maybe because it had been built over too). We had practically given up on finding purple D.cistiflora, our 2 weeks in Cape Town were almost spent. And then on our second to last day we stopped by the botanic gardens and its fantastic book shop. Several books on local flora had wonderful pictures of Drosera, mostly D.cistiflora. One of these showed the magnificent purple-flowered D.cistiflora and the caption under the photo mentioned it was photographed in a town ~50km N of Cape Town. So we decided to go there on our last day in the Cape region and have a last try at finding this magnificent plant. We once again convinced Eric Green to join us in hopes that his experience would help pinpoint probable habitats of purple D.cistiflora. It is actually very difficult to tell a good CP habitat from a bad one in those coastal lowlands. They all looked the same! As we drove into the little town and through it, we passed a nice field where I noticed a wide variety of wildflowers and suggested we stop for a look. But the area was fenced and we decided to ask for permission before going in. Eric walked to a small farmhouse nearby in hopes that it was the right one and that the owner would not only be home but would also let us enter his property. After being chased and nearly being attacked by some vicious dogs, Eric met the farmer who owned that plot of land. To our total amazement and disbelief, the man not only knew Drosera, he also knew the book we were talking about and claimed that the picture of purple D.cistiflora had been taken ON HIS LAND!! What incredible luck and coincidence!! Although he was late for a funeral, we conviced the farmer to take us to the area where purple D.cistiflora grew, which was a few kilometers away. It was a beautiful hot and sunny day as we drove past a gate along a dirt road and suddenly pulled up alongside a large population of D.cistiflora with numerous dark-purple fully-open flowers!!! We scrambled out of the car while shouting and gasping in disbelief with the beauty of this very odd flower color for a Drosera. The farmer convinced us to stop taking pictures, climb back in the car and keep on driving, claiming there was a larger population further ahead. Sure enough, not only were there countless purple D.cistiflora in full bloom, but they grew sympatrically with a larger white-flowered form, which was even more abundant than the purple ones! I don't think these 2 forms had ever been recorded together. Does this prove that white and purple D.cistiflora are different species/ subspecies?? D.trinervia with white flowers were also seen in this area. Needless to say we were all in shock! Looking at my pictures from that site, I noticed that the first dozen shots were all of white D.cistiflora, and not the purple ones. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the purple flowers that I didn't even know where to start photographing them! So here are some pics of the rare & magnificent purple-flowered D.cistiflora. If I remember well, the flowers were not as pinkish as they appear to be in these pics, but truly a darker purple. Notice how the petals in this purple form are bent downwards... We saw some butterflies in the area and speculated this might be the pollinator (the petals bent backwards would facilitate their landing), but I did photograph a beetle on one flower. A strange curiosity about this purple D.cistiflora is that over many years Eric claims he never found any seed on plants from Milnerton. Could it be they reproduce assexually only? Then why the fantastic purple flower color? But enough talk, let's go to the pictures... Eric Green and the 1st population of purple D.cistiflora: Some more purple D.cistiflora growing in the semi-shade of Australian wattles near the first population: Here you see purple & white D.cistiflora growing sympatrically. Notice how the white ones are taller and have larger flowers. Some close ups of plants: And some close ups of flowers: Here you see a possible pollinator beetle: I guess now you all know why purple-flowered D.cistiflora was my favorite Drosera in Africa... Best Wishes, Fernando Rivadavia Edited December 16, 2007 by Fernando Rivadavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Earl Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Absolutely stunning Fernando! What luck you had. Thanks for the pictures. And, the insights as to local habitat etc, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingman Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Wow, great to see them in their natural habitat! What a rare find! Thanks for sharing! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julio Alberto Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Great pictures and plants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensH Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Highly impressive images. Thanks!! Jens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Spence Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 WOW!! The plants appear to be quite robust as well. The purple colouration is stunning. They'd have to be close to my favourite Drosera as well- one of the D. cistiflora group is, I just can't decide which one. Great images too! Your timing at the locations you have visited seems to have been perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Allan Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Yet more superb habitat photos. Thanks. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic brown Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Stunning Fernando - As a flower fan, D. cistiflora is my favourite sundew too. As always, thanks for sharing and keep these superb images of CPs in habitat coming! :) My own cultivated plants have only just woken up from their summer rest, hopefully some will have matured to flowering size this year. Cheers Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Cornish Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Amazing images and plants. Thanks for sharing! Regards Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khelljuhg Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Absolutely stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aidan Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Very interesting, though (being perverse) I prefer the white flowered form! :mrgreen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andreas Eils Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 :shocked: Mein lieber Herr Gesangsverein :!: :!: (Translation: My dear Mister singing association! = this expression has the meaning of: This is simply inconceivable [or unbelievable]!) I WANT ONE...I WANT ONE... Finally you have made me addicted to Drosera cistiflora, Fernando! Fantastic shots as we are used to see from you! What´s your next location of field trip? Regards, Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCarnifreak Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Fantastic pics! Thanks a lot :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Wonderful pic's & very interesting story. A truely stunning plant. I'll have to add this to my collection. Is this purple form in cultivation :?: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_flytrap_kid Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Fantastic pictures Thanks for sharing ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sheila Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Excellent photographs. The flowers of cistiflora are the most beautiful amongst the Drosera species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fischermans Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Just wonderfull. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maurizio Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Mau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanW Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Fleischmann Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Hey Fernando, Thanks for the detailed report and the nice selection of photographs! I did not dare posting any photograph of this variant before you finally had back your CDs to be the fist one! ;) I'm still not convinced that this should be the most beautiful of the cistiflora-group, come on, the "variety Eitz" is much more colourful! ;) This odd purple flowered D. cistiflora (BTW, if considered to be a distinc species: it already had been described as Drosera violacea by Willdenow in 1809, but was synonymized with D. cistiflora by different botanists later. In my opinion, a distinct and valid species!) made Fernando somehow resistant to the beauty of the strange Zambian Drosera species ;). I got excited by every new species we found there, claiming it's beauty. Fernando's sober reaction: "Yes, quite nice, but is that one AS beautiful as the purple cisitflora?!" But is that purple cistiflora AS beautiful as D. meristocaulis? ;) All the best, Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 what can I say Fernando, superb as always! I wish I'd seen some cistiflora when I was living out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Hi, very nice plants and pictrues! Thanks a lot for showing them to us. Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Amazing! The flower close ups are great. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted December 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Hello Andreas, I'm still not convinced that this should be the most beautiful of the cistiflora-group, come on, the "variety Eitz" is much more colourful! Hmmm, nice colors of D.cist. v.Eitz... Let's see: The flower? Large like most D.cistiflora forms, but a boring lilac color common among Drosera. The leaves? Yes, a nice deep-red color, but also sooooo common among Drosera... Hmmm, I'll stick with the unique purple flowers of D.cistiflora! ;) Really, are there any other Drosera with such flower colors? I'm trying to think of all those tuberous and pygmy sundews, but can't remember any... This odd purple flowered D. cistiflora (...) made Fernando somehow resistant to the beauty of the strange Zambian Drosera species . I got excited by every new species we found there, claiming it's beauty. Fernando's sober reaction: "Yes, quite nice, but is that one AS beautiful as the purple cisitflora?!" Ah, but you forget that the Zambian CPs and habitats are very similar to what I find here in Brazil. So although mostly unknown and unphotographed, the Zambian CPs are not as exotic to me as D.cistiflora and its Cape Town buddies. But is that purple cistiflora AS beautiful as D. meristocaulis? Ah, completely different things! :) Any D.cistiflora is certainly more beautiful than D.meristocaulis. But D.meristocaulis & me (and my knee, hehehe!) have a whole history together, hahaha! :):) Anyways, I'm still perplexed with the apparent fact that D.cistiflora "purple" does not produce seeds... It doesn't make sense to "waste" so much beauty (and energy)... Best Wishes, Fernando Rivadavia P.S. In fact, truly exciting is the new species of Drosera I saw yesterday in the heart of the Amazon rainforest... ;) Pics soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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