Re: Dalingtonia distribution

Oliver T Massey CFS (massey@hal.fmhi.usf.edu)
Fri, 9 Feb 1996 10:04:22 -0500 (EST)

> The
> assumption that the Sarraceniaceae evolved in the S.E. United States is in
> question - there is no fossil record, and are no obvious ancestors living.
> The family may just as well have evolved in the west or South America and
> radiated from there to the southeastern mountains and coastal plains.
>

Interesting comment, but I had thought that the origination was not that
disputed - certainly open to amendment of course. From the fragments of
theory I had heard about the Sarrs., I seem to recall that the
presumption was that S oreophila and S. rubra jonesii were considered
remnant locations geographically, at least partly because of the
presumption that dispersion into these locations could not have easily
occurred otherwise. I thought I also understood that at least S.
oreophila was considered more primitive - or at least was suspected of
having characteristics more likely associated with more primitive forms
of Sarrs. At the same time, I also have my own personal bias against
believing that the Heliamps. are reflective of some evolutionary
precursor to the modern Sarrs. Personally, these species seem to me to
be an effective, unique solution to the problem of insectivory and are
not simply less evolved, primitive cousins of the SE USA Sarrs.

For whats its worth,
Tom in Fl