Re: mumblings

Barry Meyers-Rice (barry@as.arizona.edu)
Thu, 19 Sep 91 18:59:53 MST

>Can you detail collinsae for me? I have a small one, and I'm
>wondering how big they get, what color they get, do they go
>dormant, etc. Mine has leaves with long petioles and the
>blades are roundish, about 3/16" wide.

The simplest description would be as follows: Very similar to D.
intermedia in leaf shape and arrangement, but not suffused with red
(except in tentacles). They do not form hibernacula, but slow down
growth during the winter, after seed production ends. Flowers pink/red.
My oldest plant is 3 years almost. Seed takes up to 8 months to
germinate. Leaf cuttings produce a plant very fast

>I'm trying to propagate my two Mexican Pings (kondoi and rotundifolia) as
>fast as I can.

Thanks. Contact me again before you send it to make sure I haven't scammed
a copy by then. I should contact Joe---he may have an extra copy still,
although it's been a long time. I recall seeing the old ads for this
system he had.

>I can't find it now, but I remember reading in CPN that Nepenthes can be

I don't know anything about tissue culture, but I thought that it needs
some active meristem tissue to work. I'd think a tendril in growth would
have plenty of apical meristem tissue growing...

>Barry, how is your "large trap" variety of Cephalotus compare to the typical
>type?

Still too young to be sure. I got these from Mistah Maharajh, who got it
from Grant Hallchurch from Guelph (or something like that).

>About water-absorbing gel in CP soil, it doesn't appear to be absolutely

My only concern is there might be some residual (toxic) chemicals in the
gel. Also, they break down over time (I've heard a few years) and release
Fixed nitrogen in the process---again, this is what I've heard...

>I got a catalog for indoor metal halide light fixtures. They are very

Of course, the one cost you didn't mention for these things is the
electrical bill. I gather they can be substantial. A grower, DeFranco
I think was his name, has experimented with these bulbs---check old
CPNs. I wrote to him a few times---nice sort but doesn't know a whit about
spectra that makes any sense.