Is there an efficient way of collecting Pygmy Sundew Gemmae?

[DennyP]

Hey Guys,

With winter approaching in Australia, yet another gemmae season will come.

I've always picked the gemmae off my individual plants which took a lot of time. However I only had one species, now I have 8 species with generous specimens in each and I can already see it would take me a very long time picking up all the gemmae.

Is there a more efficient way of collecting gemmae than "handpicking and hope for the best it doesn't drop into the soil"?.

I've seen a obscure photo of some vacuum cleaner method, like a dentist's vacuum to clean teeth, except it's gemmae, could this be a method? and how I can obtain one?.

Cheers,

Dennis

[jimscott]

I hold the pot slightly more than a 90 degree angle, over a container and delicately coax the gemmae out with a toothpick. The first gemmae from a crown are the most challenging, requiring the most amount of care to not injure. After that, the come out pretty easily.

[Dave Evans]

Yes, please see:

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~dpevans/Droser...mmae_Vacuum.htm

[Amar]

Yes, please see:

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~dpevans/Droser...mmae_Vacuum.htm

simple and smart.

[gardenofeden]

You can buy these ready-made, they are called pooters

[linton]

I hold the pot slightly more than a 90 degree angle, over a container and delicately coax the gemmae out with a toothpick. The first gemmae from a crown are the most challenging, requiring the most amount of care to not injure. After that, the come out pretty easily.

I'm with you Jim - this is also the method that I use, but I've got to say that the gemmae vaccuum is a great idea. It has to be said though that with different species in a collection it's important to perform the harvest well away from all your other pots of pygmies as the gemmae can, and do end up metres from where they have been harvested.

[Dave Evans]

Yes indeed. Some species have large stipules and these can act like springs, focusing all the energy from a toothpick or raindrop into flinging the gemmae up and outward up to several meters.

Making a raking motion from the center of the plant to the outside pushes the gemmae into the stipules; which then shoot the gemmae. A tight back and forth movement will knock them loose without loading 'em into the stipules.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Dave Evans

[DennyP]

Thanks for the responses guys!

I'll try both methods, though that pooter looks like it can do a heck of a job and simple to use.

I'll construct one and report it's efficiency come Australian winter.

Cheers,

Dennis

[DennyP]

Design question: I've got access to 6mm diameter tubing, would this be enough if I have D. Scorpioides as my upper limit?

I'm assuming that's the biggest gemmae of the genus.

[Amar]

It would be enough, yes.

[Mujician]

Hi, I'm very new to carniverous ants and I want to know what a gemmae is. Where do you find them and what do you do with them, when do they appear? Thanks, Ben

[jimscott]

I wonder if a disposable syringe would be even simpler and comparably as effective....

Edited April 22, 2011 by jimscott