ISSN 1033-6966 VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS PLANT SOC IETY Inc. December 2006 No. 82 Nepenthes tentaculata Nepenthes macrovulgaris Nepenthes villosa Heliamphora pulchella Brocchinia reducta Heliamphora minor Heliamphora chimantensis Nepenthes rajah VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS PLANT SOC IETY Inc. PLANT SOC IETY Inc. Annual Subscriptions Issue No. 82 December 2006 Australian membership $25.00 Office Bearers: July 2006 – June 2007 Overseas membership $25.00 Payment from overseas must be in Australian dollars. President Stephen Fretwell All cheques or money orders should be made payable to the Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society Inc (VCPS). Vice President Sean Spence Payment by credit card is NOT available at the time of this journal issue. General Secretary Peter Bloem Correspondence Minutes Secretary Sean Spence Please forward all correspondence regarding subscription, change of address, Other Publications Gordon Ohlenrott articles for the journal and back issues to: The Secretary VCPS Journal Editor Stephen Fretwell P.O. Box 201 SOUTH YARRA 3141. Assistant Journal Editor George Caspar AUSTRALIA Internet Co-ordinator Paul Edwards Journal articles, in MS-Word, ready for publication, may be Emailed to the Editor or Secretary. Treasurer Ken Neal Librarian Andrew Gibbons Meetings Seedbank Administrator Ron Abernethy Most VCPS meetings are held in the hall at the rear of the Pilgrim Uniting Church on the corner of Bayview Road and Montague Street, Yarraville – Melway map reference Hardware Co-ordinator Andre Cleghorn 41K7. These meetings are on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 8 PM. However, some meetings may be at the home of members during a weekend. Show Co-ordinator Peter Anderson Details of meeting dates and topics are listed in each journal. Field Trips Organiser George Caspar If unsure of the location or date of any meeting, please ring a committee person for details. Public Officer Alexander Whitehouse The VCPS Annual General Meeting, usually held at Yarraville in June, provides substantial benefits for each and every member able to attend. Sales Administrator Ron Abernethy 2 – VCPS VCPS – 3 Contents MEETING TOPICS & DATES for 2007 FRONT COVER: Nepenthesrajah lower VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS P LANT SOC IETY pitcher from Mt Kinabalu National Park . This year we have scheduled the following discussion topics, and events: Photo: Justin Thong. January (14th) New Year BBQ, Darlingtonia , Dionaea . BACK COVER: February (22nd) Sarracenia species and hybrids, beginners night. Clockwise from top left: March (28nd) NepenthesandHeliamphora . Sarracenia purpurea ssp venosa . I Nepenthestentaculata, Borneo Photo: Justin Thong. April (25th) Drosera , video and information night. Travels around North Borneo – Part 2 6 I Nepenthesmacrovulgaris , May (23rd) Growing conditions, pygmy Drosera gemmae Borneo Photo: Justin Thong. collection, 'best' and 'worst' plants. Diversity of Heliamphora 14 I Nepenthesvillosa , Borneo Photo: Justin Thong. June (27th) AGM, plant give-away, any CPs. I Brocchiniareducta Growing Carnivors in Canberra 20 July (25th) Seed growing and tissue culture, potting “PitcherPlantsoftheAmericas” demonstration, any CPs. Photo: Stewart McPherson. I Heliamphorachimantensis August (TBA) Tuberous/Winter growing Drosera , show Seed Bank “PitcherPlantsoftheAmericas” preparation, displays, and companion planting. We now have a huge collection of N EW fresh CP seed available, and Photo: Stewart McPherson. September (26th) Cephalotus,Brocchinia,Catopsis and swap night. our seed list has become quite extensive. I Heliamphoraminor With over 250 varieties of CP’s, we are now providing the list in “PitcherPlantsoftheAmericas” October (TBA) Field trip to Triffid Park TBA, any CP’s. PDF format on our website, www.vcps.au.com. Photo: Stewart McPherson. The new seed consists of over 200 types of Sarracenia species and November (28nd) Byblis, pygmy Drosera,Drosophyllum,Genlisea, I Heliamphorapulchella hybrids, Darlingtonia seed obtained from the US and Drosophyllum . “PitcherPlantsoftheAmericas” Pinguicula, Roridula, Utricularia . Seed was collected from plants late 2006, so be quick, while Photo: Stewart McPherson. stocks last. For inquiries or to order seeds, please contact our December (TBA) Annual show at Collectors Corner. Seedbank Officer. Journal Design: Please note: All meetings, other than those where a specific venue is given, The articles that are found within are copyright but can be copied Stephen Fretwell will be on the FOURTH WEDNESDAY of the month in the hall of the Pilgrim freely if the author and source are acknowledged. The views are of the Uniting Church in Yarraville – corner Bayview Road and Montague Street, Printed by: authors and are open to review and debate. Please send all material to Melway Map Reference 41K7. Snap Printing (Box Hill) the editor for consideration to be included in our quarterly journal. 4 – VCPS VCPS – 5 peak at 3900m. Low’s peak can be seen and reached from this point. Pig Hill 2000 m (6o01’N, 116o36’E Pinosuk Plateau) THIS area is close to the Mesilau Nature Resort on the South East slope of Mt Kinabalu. It is East of the Mesilau Valley on the Pinosok Plateau. Nepenthes xalisaputrana (N.rajahxN.burbidgeae ), Nepenthesrajah, Nepenthestentaculata , and N.burbidgeae (2300m) can be found here. It can be seen from a secondary dirt road on the Pinosok Plateau, and takes roughly 4 hours to reach. Mt Trus Madi 2642m (8669 ft) (5o34’0 N, 116o31’0 E) MALAYSIA’s second highest mountain after Mt Kinabalu. The northern route is most Nepenthes stenophylla Mt Kinabalu summit trail. Photos: Justin Thong commonly used as its approach is from the town of Tambunan which is approximately Tambunan. It follows the Kaingaran river one? hours drive from Kota Kinabalu. towards Mt Trus Madi, passing through an Travels around North Borneo – Part 2 Climbing Mt Trus Madi used to be a three extensive logging concession and two small to five day prospect. Today it is much the villages, (Batu and Kaingaran). Several river JUSTIN THONG Nepenthesedwardsiana in the forested same as climbing Mt Kinabalu. In two days crossings must be made and during heavy surrounding areas. Nepenthesbur - you can climb and return to Kota Kinabalu. rainfall it may be impossible to proceed. Marai Parai 1500m bidgeae (900m on Marai Parai Spur), More adventurous tour companies offer Guides can be obtained by contacting the (6o03’N, 116o26’E) fusca and tentaculata can also be found trips to this mountain with everything District Officer of Tambunan. You drive to growing in the trees in this area. included. There are many bird enthusiasts a point were the road splits and passes THIS plateau area at 1500m on the Droseraspathulata also grows in the venturing to Trus Madi these days, with over around either side of a ridge (around North Western side of Mt Kinabalu is open areas of the plateau, along with 60 species present in the area. 1400m) which leads up towards the summit. reached via a small village near the main Paphiopedilumrothschildianum . The road to Tambunan passes through The climb is immediately steep as you road to the Park Headquarters, and Utriculariastriatula and Nepentheslowii the Crocker Range National Park and the negotiate the ridge. The ground is wonder - requires permission from the Park prior are also reported to be present on Marai Rafflesia centre at 1830m. Here it is possible fully soft and spongy as you walk on cen - to visiting due to its variety of rare flora. Parai Spur. to see Rafflesiapricei , in fact there are several turies of built up leaf litter. There is a good It takes about 3–4 hours of hard climb - There is a recognised route to the areas along this road which occasionally have place to camp overnight at around 1850m ing to reach this pristine location. summit of Kinabalu from Marai Parai Rafflesia in bloom. It’s really just a matter of called “Taman Bunga” (or the flower gar - Several rivers must be crossed, and which follows the ridge through dense being there at the right time as these para - den). It offers a small relatively flat area, many leeches of different varieties must forest on the North West side of the sitic plants flower at any time of the year. perched on the ridge with a hole in the be removed from one’s body. mountain eventually leading to the Trus Madi is approached via the ground which may hold some water. Nepenthesrajah is found in a large Western basin and up to the West Kaingaran road, which turns off the main Nepentheslowii (1800 – 2600m) is found grassy area of the plateau and Ghurkha hut beneath the Oyayubi Iwu highway opposite the shops of Pekan around “Taman Bunga” and virtually all the 6 – VCPS VCPS – 7 way to the summit. Nepenthestentaculata Lagud Sebrang, covers 1,500 acres and (700 – 2400m) is found along the summit includes the Tenom Orchid Farm, boasting track. over 1,000 indigenous orchids. The rarely The next morning it is possible to reach seen Rafflesia can also be found within the the summit within 2 hours. As soon as you park, and is part of the tour provided at the reach 2200m and the mossy forest, park. There is a small Nepenthes display, Nepenthesmacrophylla (2200 – 2400m) can housing N.truncata,N.ampullaria,N.raffle - be seen on both sides of the trail and in siana,N.alata and several others. some places growing over the trail. Another location for orchids closer to N. xtrusmadiensis is found between 2500 – Kota Kinabalu is ‘Orchid De Villa’ which is 2600m of summit area, between the two located about 20 kilometres or 30 minutes’ peaks of Trus Madi, which are roughly 20 drive from the City centre. Here you can Rafflesia pricei minutes apart. The first being 8690 ft and the see several hundred varieties on display below freezing overnight, and when com - highest at 8669 ft. A survey beacon marks the along with a commercial cut flower nursery. bined with strong winds and rain, it can be summit. You pass along a very narrow path bitterly cold.