|
Post by hal on Nov 30, 2013 17:19:58 GMT -5
This rosette is just slightly recessed below the top of the growing media, dvg Interesting. Do you give them any water at all during dormancy?
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Nov 30, 2013 22:38:09 GMT -5
I do not. Once they start to grow again is when i will begin watering. The biggest issue with these plants is getting the rosettes to a large enough size that they will survive through dormancy. Large sized leaf pullings will provide the best chance of survival for first year plants. And feeding the Dickens out of these plants while they are in active growth phase will be the difference between your plants just taking a dirt nap or resurrecting again from it. Bottom line: feed those plants. dvg
|
|
|
Post by Apoplast on Dec 2, 2013 9:38:24 GMT -5
Hi DVG - Nicely grown! That plant of yours keeps making me think I should invest in a wider variety of mexi-pings. Then I keep getting distracted with things like tuberous dews, but I really like the grwoth/dromancy phases of P. heterophylla! Thanks for sharing your progress with them. I'ts good to know there is a size threshold that helps survival through dormancy.
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Dec 7, 2013 15:45:43 GMT -5
Thanks Apoplast,
These are probably similar to your tuberous dews in that they both spend considerable periods of the year underground in dormancy - with P. heterophylla disappearing for up to 8 months at a time.
Maybe not a plant for everyone's taste, but they do take very little attention once they're in sleep mode.
dvg
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Jun 6, 2014 13:51:59 GMT -5
Hi DVG - I like the bulbs on this species. Actually, I wonder if some of the Mexi pings from true botanical bulbs? Typically, Oxalis is considered to be the only dicot to produce true bulbs. But species like P. heterophylla and P. gypsicola may fit the botanical definition too if I understand their resting condition. I've never seen them in person though. Hi Apo, still not sure on the correct botanical definition for these but these dormant P. heterophylla look like either garden variety onions or spiky haired mischief makers. dvg
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Jun 6, 2014 17:05:52 GMT -5
Any onions for sale?
|
|
|
Post by Apoplast on Jun 7, 2014 17:09:49 GMT -5
Hi DVG - I'd have to dissect some to know for sure, but I'm fairly confident they qualify as true bulbs. I'll have to check to see if anyone has published on this or not.
For anyone curious, botanically a true "bulb" is a structure with a short stem, where leaves (or in some cases leaf bases) act as storage structures during dormancy. It looks to me like the bulk of the dormant structure in DVG's pings are comprised of leaves with very short inter-node length. If it could be show that these leaves have higher starch content than the carnivorous leaves, I think there's a really good case that these are true bulbs by any definition.
Thanks for sharing the photos DVG! Now, I really think I need to try these. Of course the continued basement build makes that a pipe dream for the moment, but someday...
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Oct 29, 2014 17:17:42 GMT -5
PM me. Have had this P. heterophylla from AW for five years now, shown here in a 4" pot. It is getting ready to go into dormancy now, so i'll just leave the pot to dry out completely now. This is a seed grown plant from seed sown on July 28, 2013, in a 3" pot. It has been through a dormancy already and is getting ready for another one, shortly. This small seedling was from the smallest bulb shown in my previous posting...I stuck it in with a P. moranensis, so I could keep an eye on its progress. And all three pots together. dvg
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Oct 29, 2014 19:47:32 GMT -5
All hail the King of Ping
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Oct 13, 2015 16:12:21 GMT -5
Here is a seedgrown P. heterophylla that is about two years old now. It hasn't flowered yet, but it is dividing...the first time I have seen this with any of my heterophylla plants. Not sure this happened because it was a seedgrown plant, but might have to sow more seeds, just in case it was. Speaking of seeds, I have been pollinating heterophylla flowers over the past month and collecting the dried seed pods. Here is the seed that was collected from about twenty-five flowers... ...with the larger seeds gravitating towards the seed pile in the centre. And with the fresh seeds, I decided to use a peatier mix to sow the seeds on... ...to prevent the seeds from falling down between the crevices in the coarse media and also to help keep moisture around the seedlings. Should have signs of life in 10 to 14 days time, and then i'll see how well this mix works over a longer time frame. Media mix is Pro Mix, #2 grit, bonsai sand and silica sand in a 3:2:1:1 mix respectively. dvg
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Nov 12, 2015 15:57:24 GMT -5
It's been one month to the day that the P. heterophylla seeds above were sown and here is how one of the four pots is looking today. In late October I took a mature bulb apart to propagate from leaf pullings. [/url] The pullings are being propagated on coffee filters inside a freezer bag. Last night when I was doing some repotting, a few dislodged P. agnata leafs were also added to the mix. And here is how the dividing seed-grown P. heterophylla from above is looking today. Hopefully in time, with more plant material available, i'll be able to share some of these plants. dvg
|
|
|
Post by Apoplast on Nov 12, 2015 19:53:18 GMT -5
Hi Doug - I haven't seen you here in far too long. Welcome back! The P. heterophylla seedlings, pullings, and that dividing one, all look great! That's a species I've longed to try. I want to succeed with it in part because I have a friend who does anatomy work with bulbs, and I want to get him material so he can once and for all prove this group of pings produce botanically true bulbs - making them the second dicot group to do so. Muahahahaha!
But I digress, it's good to see your plants doing so well. Thanks for sharing your photos!
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Nov 13, 2015 14:59:50 GMT -5
Thanks Apoplast, after looking at the definitions, descriptions and cross sectional images of bulbs, tubers, corms and rhizomes, it appears that the winter rosettes of P. heterophylla are still no more than just dormant winter rosettes.
They consist of tightly packed winter leaves in a "bulb" shape wrapped in the papery covering of dried dead leaves.
This gives the appearance of a bulb, but at the heart of the matter they are just well protected underground winter rosettes designed to undergo preservation from extensive periods of drought.
dvg
|
|
|
Post by Apoplast on Nov 13, 2015 19:01:36 GMT -5
Hi DVG - It's interesting to hear the thoughts of someone so skilled at their cultivation, and who is very familiar with them. Thanks! I have not held one in my hand yet, and I don't wish to be pedantic - but what you describe sounds botanically like a tunicate bulb.
The details of what exact structure is acting as storage, where certain tissues are derived from, and internode to root structure relations will determine. At this stage, nothing leads me to believe Pinguicula heterophylla, and Pinguicula medusina at the very least form true bulbs. Others may qualify, and the genus might be a good study of the evolutionary intermediates to bulb evolution.
I know this is opening a can of worms similar to the tuber vs. corm debate with the section Ergaleium of Drosera. There will likely be back and forth, but I strongly suspect that much as Drosera produce stem tubers and not corms, Pinguicula can produce true bulbs. It may seem trivial to some (most?), but I find it to be botanically interesting.
|
|
|
Post by hal on Nov 13, 2015 23:02:24 GMT -5
The thing that leads me to believe these pings don`t form true bulbs is that they are not stable. They`ll decrease in size over the winter and eventually die if they aren't very healthy when they go into dormancy. It's not like you could buy a bag of ping bulbs that had been stored for a year or two like Narcissus.
|
|