Post by dvg on Dec 7, 2015 14:34:44 GMT -5
For those of you interested in trying to make some of your own hybrid crosses of Mexican Pinguicula or Mexi-pings, as some of us have affectionately dubbed them, i've managed to lift some of the info from Chromosome numbers in Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae): survey, atlas and taxonomic conclusions, a paper written by S. Jost Casper and Rosemarie Stimper.
Because almost all of the Mexi-pings listed are recorded as having the chromosome count of 2n=22 it is easier to list the exceptions to the rule, rather than all of the species in the paper.
Annual Species
P. lilacina
P. sharpii
Both of these species are listed at 2n=16
I've grown both of these before from seed and they flower out very soon, and once they flower they quickly die.
The only way to keep them going in cultivation is to prevent them from flowering, by continually pinching off their rising flower stalks or
to collect the seed and sow it.
I didn't try leaf pulling with these.
Other exceptions 2n=32
P. esseriana from San Vicente, Tamaulipas, Mexico
P. esseriana var ehlersiae from Guadalcázar, San Luis Pososi, Mexico
There is some controversy concerning P. ehlersiae though.
It's chromosome count has been found to be 2n=44, 2n=32 and 2n=22, depending upon the specimen in question, the latter of which would make it compatible for crossing with most of the other Mexi-pings.
The authors admit that further study needs to be done with the esseriana/ehlersiae complex.
It is interesting though, that if you look at the hybrid side of the Pinguicula page at the CP. Photofinder, you will find no direct esseriana crosses with the esseriana as the mother plant.
They are a couple other crosses with esseriana in them, but those might have actually been P. jaumavensis, which does have the 2n=22 count.
2n=22, 44
P. moranensis from Mexico, without a locality (go figure, right) was found to be either 2n=22 or 2n=44
As most of you know, they are many different varieties of P. moranensis in cultivation from many differing locales.
I'm not sure how the 2n=44 count would cross with a regular 2n=22 count moranensis, but moranensis has been successfully crossed with many other Mexi-ping species, so you'd just have to cross your plant and wait and see what resulted, and it would most likely be successful anyway.
The above is just a rough guide to help those interested in making their own crosses.
For more thorough information on this topic, and other Pinguicula species, including the temperate and tropicals, seek out the original paper.
The bottom line here is to just have fun trying to come up with some interesting new plants that may have unique features either in foliage or flowers.
dvg