Saturday, December 4, 2010

Sarracenia flava var. cuprea x flava var. rugelli - ex Ron Abernethy





Sarracenia flava var. cuprea x S. flava var. rugelli
Data at a glance...
Latin name                           Sarracenia flava var. cuprea x S. flava var. rugelli
Clone name                          Ron's coppertop
Acquired                               Multiple, this specimen 2010 ex Triffid Park open day
Pitcher flush pattern            3: 1+: P (Sp: Su: Au) 
Growth strength                   Good to strong
Division types                      New growth point at flowering and 1+ rhizome node yearly.

Pitcher description
Lid with filament well developed, dark cupreous with darker venation on upper surface, under surface green with red venation, lid margin undulating. Throat pigmented purple-red with veins extending onto lid and pitcher tube; tube interior tan with veins, exterior cupreous with venation. Flower yellow, strong flava scent, petals broad in middle, margin undulating.

Notes
This is one of the best S. flava var. cuprea in Australian cultivation. It was bred from seed produced by Ron Abernethy, who tells me this cross was the result of his pollen brush slipping! A very lucky slip, if I may say so. I have two plants of this cross, one of which is still immature, but shows signs of being different to the clone shown here. Triffid Park had another clone of this cross at their nursery this year, but unfortunately no divisions were for sale. This latter plant is quite different, and photos of it are shown below.