ISSN 1033-6966 VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS SOC IETY Inc.

March 2007 No. 83

Drosera madagascariensis macdonaldae

Dionaea muscipula hurrelliana S. purpurea ssp venosa

Pinguicula esseriana Nepenthes villosa Heliamphora minor x heterodoxa VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS VICTORIAN SOC IETY Inc. PLANT SOC IETY Inc. Annual Subscriptions Issue No. 83 March 2007 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: esseriana VICTORIAN CARNIVOROUS P LANT SOC IETY grown by Sean Spence . Photo: Stephen Fretwell This year we have scheduled the following discussion topics, and events: January (14th) New Year BBQ, Darlingtonia , Dionaea . petertaylorii grown by Sean Spence. BACK COVER: Clockwise from top February (28th) species and hybrids, beginners night. left: Heliamphora macdonaldae – I madagascariensis March (28th) Nepenthes and Heliamphora . grown by Sean Spence. April (25th) Drosera , video and information night. The Forgotten Marsh 6 I Darlingtonia californica grown by Ron Abernethy. May (23rd) Growing conditions, pygmy Drosera gemmae Trekking to Gunung Mulu 9 I Heliamphora macdonaldae collection, 'best' and 'worst' . Photo: Stewart McPherson. June (27th) AGM, plant give-away, any CPs. VCPS 2006 Annual show 12 I S. purpurea ssp venosa “Grand Champion” grown July (25th) Seed growing and tissue culture, potting Carnivores and the Big Dry 18 by Ron Abernethy. demonstration, any CPs. I H. minor x heterodoxa “Reserve Champion” grown August (25th) Meeting at President Stephen Fretwell’s House 12pm. Seed Bank by Jenny Brownfield. Tuberous/Winter growing Drosera , show We now have a huge collection of N EW fresh CP seed available, and I Nepenthes villosa grown by preparation, displays, and companion planting. our seed list has become quite extensive. Peter Anderson. With over 250 varieties of CP’s, we are now providing the list in September (26th) , Brocchinia, and swap night. I PDF format on our website, www.vcps.au.com. Dionaea muscipula grown by Sean Spence. Photo: Peter Wolf October (28th) Field trip to Triffid Park, any CP’s. The new seed consists of over 200 types of Sarracenia species and hybrids, Darlingtonia seed obtained from the US and . I Nepenthes hurrelliana November (28th) , pygmy Drosera, Drosophyllum, , Seed was collected from plants late 2006, so be quick, while (Centre) Photo: Greg Bourke Pinguicula, , Utricularia . stocks last. For inquiries or to order seeds, please contact our Seedbank Officer. December (TBA) Annual show at Collectors Corner. Journal Design: Stephen Fretwell The articles that are found within are copyright but can be copied Please note: All meetings, other than those where a specific venue is given, will freely if the author and source are acknowledged. The views are of the Printed by: be on the FOURTH WEDNESDAY of the month in the hall of the Pilgrim Uniting authors and are open to review and debate. Please send all material to Snap Printing (Box Hill) Church in Yarraville – corner Bayview Road and Montague Street, Melway Map the editor for consideration to be included in our quarterly journal. Reference 41K7.

4 – VCPS VCPS – 5 Gleason collected and preserved specimens of the multitude of new plant and animal Heliamphora macdonaldae – species that surrounded him on the moun - taintop – species which no one had previ - ously seen. Among the multitude of amazing The Forgotten Marsh Pitcher Plant discoveries were three interesting carnivo - STEWART MCPHERSON rous pitcher plants that were eventually named Heliamphora tatei, Heliamphora tyleri he beginning of the twentieth century and Heliamphora macdonaldae . represents an age of discovery and Heliamphora tatei is perhaps the most Texploration – a time when our picture extraordinary – it is unique and habitually of the Earth remained incomplete and still grows on a tall woody stem up to two filled with the unknown. The Guiana Highlands metres in length. The plant’s carnivorous The immense cliffs of Mount . of , northern Brazil and lay water filled form a compact rosette at the forefront of the minds of explorers – a atop the tall vertical stem and so stand con - the pitcher plants Gleason named H. tatei remote land dominated by immense sand - spicuously above the surrounding scrubland and H. tyleri . H. macdonaldae grows as a stone plateaus, very few of which had been vegetation. The leaves of H. tatei are large, compact rosette on the ground much like climbed, explored or even named. (up to 25 – 35 cm in length), infundibular all other species of Heliamphora except H. Indeed even as World War Two raged in and brightly coloured (predominantly yel - tatei . Occasionally old, established speci - Europe, the gigantic mountain range of lowish green with variable red coloration). mens of H. macdonaldae form a short, Neblina which stands over three kilometres The interior of the foliage is lined with short decumbent stem, similar to that of H. nebli - tall, had not even been discovered. The Guiana downwards pointing hairs, although in some nae but very different from that erect, Highlands remained a blank on the map. strains, a glabrous stripe extends down the woody growing habit of H. tatei . In 1928, American botanists Henry back side on the interior of the . Furthermore the leaves of H. macdonaldae Gleason and his colleagues began an epic Heliamphora tyleri is now thought to be a are unique in terms of morphology and The little known, but very beautiful journey into this remote province to variant of H. tatei and today is not regarded colouration. The interior of the foliage is explore a little known peak called Cerro Heliamphora macdonaldae. Photos: Stewart McPherson as a valid, independent species. Its leaves are glabrous except for a narrow line of spine Duida that lies in the heart of the Venezuelan largely the same as those of H. tatei – the like hairs that line the perimeter of the open - had to be carried in – mostly by men – Amazon, hundreds of kilometres from only appreciable difference being the shape ing of the leaf. The nectar spoon is conical, namely Amerindian porters. Caracas and well beyond all hope of rescue. of the ‘nectar spoon’ – the nectar containing but the back of the leaf is not elongated as in Gleason’s expedition began by boat, Previously, the mountain had been visited structure at the apex of the leaf. Although H. tatei and perhaps most remarkably of all, only on a handful of occasions and its sum - however as the watercourse diminished to the plant Gleason named H. tyleri seems to the interior of the leaf is lined with variable mit remained unexplored and unknown. shallow streams and finally became impassa - differ from H. tatei in that it does not habitu - red or purple veins that suffuses pure crim - The challenges of visiting this isolated ble, the expedition set out on foot and ally grow on an erect stem, variants of son in some strains – colouration that is corner of South America were formidable began weeks of difficult trekking through the H. tatei have been discovered on surrounding unique in the genus. The exterior of the leaf indeed, as they still are today – the water - dense, dark jungle of Guiana. After weeks of mountains (notably Cerro Avispa and Cerro is consistently yellowish green and the nectar course of the Orinoco River and its tribu - painstaking travel, lay in view, Aracamuni) which bridge the differences and spoon is pure red. taries were obstructed by rapids, abrupt but since unlike a normal mountain it is suggest the plants once named H. tyleri are In 1978, Maguire decide to reduce waterfalls, violent currents and rocky shal - encircled on all sides by near vertical cliffs, part of the natural diversity of H. tatei . H. macdonaldae to a variety of H. tatei lows and the land lacked roads of any kind – Gleason was forced to find a break in the The situation of Gleason’s third pitcher (H. tatei var. macdonaldae ) and six years steep ridges, deep valleys and crevasses cliff sides and eventually reached the summit plant – H. macdonaldae – is however more later, Steyermark renamed it as a form of made travelling extremely difficult. In such a of the mysterious plateau. complicated. The type form of H. macdonal - the same species ( H. tatei fm. macdonaldae ). remote place, all supplies and equipment On reaching the goal of his quest, dae found on Cerro Duida is distinct from Since these taxonomic changes were made,

6 – VCPS VCPS – 7 the plant passes out of the literature and ecology and remarkable diversity of all of few sources even mention it. the known American pitcher plants includ - It appears no one returned to Cerro ing H. macdonaldae . Stewart is selling copies Duida and observed H. macdonaldae in the personally through his online company wild and so the taxonomic relegation was www.redfernnaturalhistory.com to raise accepted and it was assumed the plant was money for the Meadowview Biological synonymous with H. tatei . Despite Gleason’s Station – with the goal of donating 5 to 10 discoveries, this remarkable pitcher plant acres of Sarracenia habitat for permanent remained obscure and largely unknown. protection – please see www.redfern - Yet H. macdonaldae is unique and does deserve the separate status as a species that naturalhistory.com/conservation.htm. Gleason originally gave it. The ecology, mor - Bibliography phology and colouration of this remarkable plant are unlike that of any other Gleason, H. A. 1931. “Botanical results of the Tyler-Duida Expedition.” Bulletin of Heliamphora sp.. Although H. macdonaldae the Torrey Botanical Club 58 (6): 367–368. is not in cultivation, one day I hope it will be, Maguire, B. 1978. “.” so that it can be enjoyed and appreciated by Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden horticulturalists and carnivorous plant 29: 36–62. enthusiasts around the world! Steyermark, J. A., 1984. “Flora of the Stewart McPherson’s new book Pitcher Venezuelan Guayana” Annual of the Nepenthes tentaculata Plants of the Americas examines the wild Missouri Botanical Garden 71: 297–340. Captive Exotics Trekking to Gunung Mulu Well known & respected Nepenthes nursery GREG BOURKE and travelled about 10km! From there, Now owned by renowned Australian CP expert and author Tony Camilleri it’s only another 15km to the summit! Offers a discount to VCPS members (his “favourite” Australian society) unung Mulu is the largest peak in Although Mulu National Park is www.captiveexotics.com the World Heritage listed Mulu famous for its limestone caves G. Mulu National Park, situated in the Tel: 0427 455 029, PO Box 794, Kuranda, QLD, 4881. G is comprised primarily of sandstone and central North/East region of the shale. It therefore lacks the limestone Malaysian state of Sarawak. At 2376m specialists of Nepenthes campanulata and above sea level, G. Mulu is not one of N. faizaliana . SOUTHERN CARNIVORES the largest mountains in Borneo but it is For me G. Mulu was not very high on http://www.scarnivores.com a challenging climb for those of average my list of mountains to climb. It’s expen - fitness levels like me! Unlike many of the sive and it’s a long trek. According to [email protected] larger mountains, you must begin your the Guide to Gunung Mulu National P.O.Box 193 Harvey, W.A. 6220 trek at less than 100m asl. For the first Park by Hans P. Hazebroek, “the return Contact Phil for a wide range of exotic and rare 5km you are walking in various depths trip from Park Headquarters can be of mud with the odd hammerhead leach comfortably done in five days, assuming Nepenthes species and hybrids . waiting to latch on. Once you reach good physical fitness.” (H. Hazebroek). Drosera , Pinguicula and Cephalotus also available. camp 1, you have climbed to 150m asl As I was short on time, I took a guide

8 – VCPS VCPS – 9 and a porter and had this great idea, “Let’s was at this stage that I decided I had gone made offerings of food and money and do it in three!” So we did the 50km round far enough. I told my guide that I wanted to toasted the mountain gods before sitting trip in three days in the pouring rain. stop and photograph some plants before down to a lunch of plain boiled rice and As we climbed above 1200m asl, the heading down. His response to this was “I chicken curry. I had also brought up 3 dipterocarp forest began to give way to the haven’t climbed this mountain in 10 years. Mars Bars which I shared with the guys. smaller trees of the montane forest. It was You wait here and I’ll go to the top.” He The skies cleared as we ate to reveal the around this altitude that I saw my first explained that “we just have to climb this forest below. We paused for a few pitcher of N. vogelii . This epiphytic species is next little peak and we’re at the top.” moments to pay our respects to the rarely seen as it commonly grows high in When I reached the top of that little peak I mountain before realising that it had just the canopy. It had been long overlooked in realised that we still had about 1km to go gone 2pm. If we were to make it back to the Mulu N.P. due to its close resemblance and it was 12pm. The N. muluensis was very Camp 3 by dark, we really had to get mov - to N. fusca . common at this level and the trees were ing. I snapped a few more shots of the Completely soaked by the heavy rain, rarely above 3m in height. spectacular N. muluensis before heading Camp 3 (1270m asl) was a welcome shelter My guide continued to push me to the for camp. for the night, a good place to scrape off the summit telling me how great it would be. As we descended from the mountain, leaches and to get warm. We were lucky to We were to be the first to climb the the clouds closed in and the rain began to see the beautiful and endangered mountain in 6 months! He also told me fall. We arrived at Camp 3 at 7pm and after Rhinoceros Hornbill fly over the camp as that he had left something on the summit a freezing wet night with little sleep we the clouds cleared and the sun set. and he had to find it. So we pushed and headed back to park headquarters and you We left Camp 3 at 7am for the summit. pushed until we finally got to the tree cov - guessed it, it rained the whole way! From Camp 3 to Camp 4 (1800m asl) the Nepenthes muluensis ered summit. The trees were rarely over In hindsight I should have taken 4 days to 2m in height and N. muluensis was every - climb the mountain and to allow more time trail undulates through mossy forest where encountered. The paper thin pitchers of N. hurrelliana can be found, another epi - where! I began taking photos while my to observe the plants. N. muluensis is one of this species contain a refreshing liquid that guide searched the summit for better pho - the most stunning plants I have seen. phytic species that had eluded visitors until is best consumed from unopened pitchers. tographic opportunities and his hidden Although its pitchers are small, the almost recent times. For many years after its col - Above Camp 4 the ridge became nar - treasures. It wasn’t long before he came pure white lids and peristomes contrasting lection it was thought to be a hybrid rower and steeper. Ropes have been running out of the bushes saying “I found with the purple/black mottled pitcher bod - between N. fusca and N. veitchii . This species installed to help with the treacherous and it!” He had hidden a bottle of scotch in the ies covering the summit of G. Mulu are was first collected in the neighbouring state vertical sections near the summit. N. lowii is moss 10 years prior. Nothing could have incredible. I thoroughly recommend the of Sabah and was studied closely by Andrew above 1800m climbing through and over the been better to relax the muscles. We then climb if you have the opportunity. Hurrell for whom the plant was named Rhododendrons and Leptospermums . The after in 2003. It has a distinct peristome amazing upper pitchers are designed to cap - with an elongated neck and colourful peris - ture rain with the lid held near vertical. The tome. The pitchers of N. hurrelliana are not pitcher body is heavily constricted in the Carnivorous Plants as spectacular as those found in the Kelabit middle that prevents the captured fluid Allen Lowrie Highlands but as I had not yet seen the from evaporating. Many of the pitchers con - Drosera, tuberous Drosera, tropical perennial Drosera, pygmy Drosera, species in the wild I was quite relieved to tain animal scat as they are frequented by Cephalotus, Utricularia, CP seed, Orchids and Trigger plants. locate it. birds and mammals in search of a drink. *Tuberous Drosera sold when dormant Nov-late March. N. tentaculata is a common species above As we climbed above 1900m asl N. mulu - *Pygmy Drosera sold as gemmae (vegative buds) over 3 months. May-June. 1600m asl on many mountains in Borneo ensis gradually replaced N. tentaculata. Peaty Allen Lowrie, 6 Glenn Place Duncraig, 6023. Western Australia and G. Mulu is no exception. Plants found depressions are common along the trail at Phone: 08 9447 7426 + 61 8 9447 7426 (Overseas) Fax: 08 9246 9335 + 61 8 9246 9335 (Overseas) here were variable in colour with large this altitude and there were a few occasions Please inquire about Catalogue. black lower pitchers being commonly where I found myself knee deep in mud. It

10 – VCPS VCPS – 11 The Grand Champion plant of 2006. Reserve Champion plant of 2006 Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa grown by Heliamphora minor x heterodoxaa Ron Abernethy. grown by Jenny Brownfield .

The Grand Champion and Reserve Champion plants at the 2006 VCPS annual show. SHOW JUDGING RESULTS 2/12/2006 SECTION A Grand champion Class 1 Prostrate Sarracenia VCPS 2006 Annual show Ron Abernethy – Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa 1 Ron Abernethy – S. purpurea ssp. venosa STEPHEN FRETWELL 2 Ron Abernethy – S. purpurea ssp. venosa SECTION B Reserve champion “var. Chipola” he 2006 VCPS show was a fantastic week - Jenny Brownfield – Heliamphora minor x 3 David Bond – S. purpurea ssp. purpurea end. The members put on a brilliant display heterodoxa – in large glass terrarium with some truly stunning plants. Class 2 Upright Sarracenia T SECTION C Memorial trophies Congratulations to Ron Abernethy for winning the 1 Stephen Fretwell – S. flava var. maxima Best novice grower Grand Champion prize for his superb and massive 2 Stephen Fretwell – S. minor (Howard Smallwood memorial trophy) example of Sarracenia purpurea ssp. venosa grown in 3 Stephen Fretwell – S. flava var. cuprea a 14” pot. Congratulations must also go to Jenny Kim Thorogood – P emarginata x ‘Weser’ Brownfield for her very impressive Heliamphora Best Sarracenia Class 3 Nepenthes minor x heterodoxa , it made judging the Grand (Mike McCarthy memorial trophy) 1 Peter Anderson – N. aristolochioides Champion plant an extremely difficult decision. Peter Bloem – S. X courtii x leucophylla 2 Peter Anderson – N. villosa The winners in all other classes also set new SECTION D 3 Peter Anderson – N. burbidgeae standards with some great plants on show. The INDIVIDUAL DISPLAY OR TERRARIUM Class 4 Dionaea display categories were full of many rare and 1 Not awarded 1 Sean Spence – D. muscipula beautiful plants. 2 Not awarded (grown from seed of G4 x G37 cross) Overall the show was a great success that 3 Peter Bloem – A large tub of Sarracenia 2 Peter Anderson – D. muscipula cv. attracted many new visitors and members that Best Sarracenia , a new category plants and Drosera binata var. dichotoma ‘Akai Ryu’ I hope left inspired to grow some of these dedicated to the late Mike McCarthy 3 Stephen Fretwell – D. muscipula cv. amazing plants. Thankyou to all of the members won by Peter Bloem for his SECTION E that contributed to our show. S. X courtii x leucophylla CARNIVOROUS PLANT SPECIES ‘Akai Ryu’

12 – VCPS VCPS – 13 Class 5 Cephalotus Class 11 Byblis or Drosophyllum 1 Peter Anderson 1 Sean Spence – Drosophyllum lusitanicum 2 Peter Anderson 2 Sean Spence – Byblis gigantea 3 No other entries 3 No other entries Class 6 Pygmy Drosera (species only) Class 12 Darlingtonia 1 Stephen Fretwell – D. ericksoniae 2 Stephen Fretwell – D. pygmaea 1 Ron Abernethy 3 Stephen Fretwell – D. lasiantha 2 Ron Abernethy 3 Ron Abernethy Class 7a Tuberous & winter growing Drosera Class 13 Heliamphora (As per judging at August 2006 monthly meeting) No species entries 1 Ron Abernethy – D. platypoda 2 Sean Spence – D. cuneifolia Class 14 Any other carnivorous 2 Stephen Fretwell – D. graniticola plant species 3 Sean Spence – D. sulphurea 1 Jenny Brownfield – Catopsis berteroniana Class 7b Tuberous Drosera “Guatemala (at this show) (individual species) 2 Peter Anderson – Catopsis berteroniana 1 Not awarded Nepenthes aristolochioides “Guatemala” Drosera ericksoniae 2 Sean Spence – D. gigantea ssp. geniculata 3 Peter Bloem – Catopsis berteroniana 3 No other entries “Guatemala” Class 8a Other temperate climate Drosera Class 15 Roridula 1 Stephen Fretwell – D. regia 1 Sean Spence – R. gorgonias 2 Sean Spence – D. madagascariensis No other entries 3 David Bond – D. coccicaulis SECTION F Class 8b Tropical Drosera Carnivorous Plant Hybrids No entries Class 1 Sarracenia hybrid Class 9 Pinguicula 1 Peter Bloem – S. X courtii x leucophylla 1 Sean Spence – P. laueana 2 Peter Bloem – S. alata x minor 2 Sean Spence – P. jaumavensis “Cardonel” 3 David Bond – S. flava x rubra 3 Sean Spence – P. agnata “El Lobo” Class 10 Utricularia or Genlisea Class 2 Nepenthes hybrid 1 Sean Spence – Utricularia petertaylorii 1 Gordon Ohlenrott – N. thorelii x 2 Sean Spence – Utricularia blanchetti densiflora “f. white ” 2 Gordon Ohlenrott – N. spathulata x alata Nepenthes burbidgaea 3 David Bond – Utricularia lateriflora 3 David Bond – N. spathulata x maxima Sarracenia flava var. flava

14 – VCPS VCPS – 15 Class 3 Pinguicula hybrids 1 David Bond – P. ‘Weser’ x moranensis var. superba 2 Kim Thorogood – P. emarginata x ‘Weser’ 3 Stephen Fretwell – P. moctezumae x sp. ‘Ayautla’ Class 4 Any other hybrids 1 Jenny Brownfield – Heliamphora minor x heterodoxa – in large glass terrarium 2 Peter Anderson – Heliamphora ‘Tequila’ No other entries SECTION H Drosera display. Pinguicula agnata – El Lobo Photo: Sean Spence Nepenthes rajah Triffid Park Award for Excellence Peter Anderson – Drosera binata var. multifida extrema SECTION I Carnivorous plant photographs , Postage stamps this time 1 David Bond – miniature sheet from Grenada Carriacou 2 David Bond – miniature sheet from St. Vincent 3 David Bond – sheetlet from U.S.A. The spectacular Sarracenia display.

The VFT display. Catopsis berteroniana display. SHOW SUMMARY GORDON OHLENROTT The following table summarises the VCPS 2006 show results in the same manner as for the Olympic Games medal tallies. 1st 2nd 3rd Total Sean Spence 562 13 Stephen Fretwell 334 10 Ron Abernethy 321 6 Peter Anderson 251 8 David Bond 216 9 Jenny Brownfield 200 2 Peter Bloem 112 4 Gordon Ohlenrott 110 2 Best Novice Grower Kim Thorogood – Pinguicula laueana Kim Thorogood 010 1 P emarginata x ‘Weser’. Drosera chrysolepis

16 – VCPS VCPS – 17 even seen D. binata in the past and Utricularia tenella can be found in the wet roadside ditches. The area is also the known habitat of a wide variety of native terrestrial orchids. During previous visits it had been very easy to find plants, but this time as I crunched my way through the dry growth, plants were not so easy to find. A few small patches of D. whittakerii ssp. aberrans on a small track where kids ride their motor - bikes were all I could locate. The plants Drosera whittakerii ssp. aberrans were small and approaching dormancy. I decided to go further into the bush, descending towards a distant swampy area. This hillside was previously home to many orchids and the scrambling Drosera macran - tha ssp planchonii , but after a search I had difficulty finding anything more than a few poor specimens of the Drosera . Drosera auriculata growing on the side of a main road near Anglesea. Photos: David Bond I decided to continue my search closer to the roadside where in years past you could always find a few D. pygmaea and D. glandulig - Drosera glanduligera era . As I walked the dry track I could find no Carnivores and the Big Dry sign of any CPs. I then came upon a fence line where there were signs of digging and clear - DAVID BOND rainy period not long before and I think ing. Here in the short grasses I found nice you could be fooled into thinking it was clumps of D. whittakerii ssp. aberrans . These adly we are hearing more and more always like that. plants were in damper soil and tended to be about the effects of the lack of As I got closer to the site I often visit Sdecent rains in many areas through - which lies at the corner of the main road amongst the greener patches of grasses. The out Australia. In early October I decided into town and Forest Road, I couldn’t help plants were about 3-4cm across and ranged in to check out the carnivorous plants that but notice that the sides of the road were colour from crimson to light green. grow near the town of Anglesea in very dry and lacking the usual “grassy” look. As I looked up I could see the shimmer - Victoria. I wanted to see if the lack of rain ing of some small patches of the golden When I stopped the car and got out the Jackie lizard had resulted in any significant effects on sandy soil appeared incredibly dry. In past D. auriculata in the paddocks. These were the plants. I hadn’t been there for a few years there have been a number of puddles nowhere near the size of the clumps we had Road to see if I could find any U. tenella but years so I thought that the effects might and boggy areas that remain wet almost until seen years before. The plants were about the roadside was bone dry. No chance be a little more noticeable. Christmas, but this season there were none. 25cm tall and were still flowering. They plants were here this year! I headed out down the highway, I locked the car and headed bush. The looked terrific and are obviously ignored by I did manage to find two, yes only two, through Geelong and then across the plants usually found in this area include the cattle when they graze. small D. pygmaea that were growing on a farming country to the coastal town of Drosera auriculata, D. peltata var. peltata, I got back to the car with a few photos of mound next to a signpost. They were the Anglesea. The farming land was reason - D. macrantha ssp planchonii, D. glanduligera, my expedition but thought, “there must be only ones I could find in the entire area. ably green although we’d had a short D. pygmaea & D. whittakerii ssp. aberrans, I’ve more?” I walked a little way down Forest Getting back in the car I drove down the

18 – VCPS VCPS – 19 road to where I knew of a track leading down to the swampy area. About a kilome - tre down Forest Road I turned at a large TRIFFID PARK electric pylon. I stopped on the top of the 257 PERRY ROAD, KEYSBOROUGH, VIC, 3173, AUSTRALIA hill and decided not to drive down as the PHONE: 61 (0)3 9769 1663, 10am to 5pm Monday to Thursday ONLY track didn’t look too safe for my newish FAX: 61 (0)3 9701 5816, 24 hours, 7 days per week small car. I got out and looked into the EMAIL: [email protected] [email protected] swampy area that backs on to the WEB: www.triffidpark.com.au Aluminium works. The swamp looked very Owned and operated by Colin and Tina Clayton. Managed by Donna ClaytonSmith. dry. I would guess that the plants would be quite difficult to find even there. FOR ALL YOUR CARNIVOROUS PLANT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING: I had a hunt around and I was lucky enough Drosera auriculata PLANTS, POTS, LABELS, BOOKS, SEEDS, SPHAGNUM MOSS AND PEAT MOSS to find a few patches of D. glanduligera . These had only dampened the topsoil. The moisture plants were in very dry, yellowy/orange soil that had not penetrated deep enough to last the WRITE, PHONE, FAX OR EMAIL TRIFFID PARK FOR A FREE COLOUR had many bull ant nests and as I walked they summer where normally the mulch forming MAIL ORDER CATALOGUE OR VIEW OUR COMPREHENSIVE WEB SITE. came out to greet me. A few more photos and leaves prevent the soil drying quickly. What You are most welcome to visit Triffid Park, but please organize this with us first, then back to the car and the drive home. have others found at their local sites? Is this the as sales and inspection are by appointment ONLY. I would like to think that if I had longer I same all over Victoria and Australia? It would would have found more plants but in reality I be interesting to hear what others have expe - feel that was as good as it was going to get. rienced. As for me I think this area will take a BREAKING NEWS THIS MONTH Triffid Park is moving from Keysborough. From the 1st July 2007, Donna and Jason long while to get back to its former glory. The area was very dry as the seasonal rains will become the new owners of Triffid Park. Colin and Tina are retiring, but will still keep an interest in the plant nursery, and continue their study of carnivorous plants, and travelling the world, as well as running their horse agistment business. Until further notice, please continue to keep sending your letters, emails, orders etc. PitcherPlantFever.com to our address in Keysborough. It will take many months to get building permit plans through council and then build our new modern growing houses. Importing rare pitcher plants for Australians. Jason and Donna have purchased a 15 acre property in Somerville, Victoria, a south-eastern suburb of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula to build the new modern Triffid Park. Distributor for Borneo Exotics and Malesiana Tropicals. The property has a nice house on it, so they can live on site and attend to the daily running of the business. The Freeway from Melbourne will bring you straight to our gateway by car, Enquiries to [email protected] or the Somerville train station is only 4 kilometres away. We are going to build one large rain gutter connected growing house. This will enable us to be water conscious and environmentally friendly. We will also have our potting and packing shed under this one roofline, so that no plants have to leave their growing environment to be potted or Carnivorous and Unusual Seeds. packed. A conservatory type room will also be under the roof line of the growing house so that F.J. & E.M. Howell. garden clubs, school groups and other groups have an area for talks and lectures before touring 3 Normandy Ave, Parra Hills. S.A. 5096 the growing rooms. Each different growing area i.e. Sarracenias, Dionaeas, Nepenthes, Pinguiculas, Droseras and the Propagating house will all be individually temperature controlled Phone: (08) 8264 2825 to re-create their required environments. Fred offers a wide variety of plants and seeds. TRIFFID PARK OPEN DAY AT KEYSBOROUGH – SUNDAY OCTOBER 28TH 2007. Sarracenia , Drosera , Utricularia, Pinguicula, Nepenthes, Dionaea and more. This will be the last Annual Open Day ever to be held at our Keysborough nursery. Contact him for his latest list of stock available. More information will be given in the coming months, but in the mean time visit our web site for progress reports and photos of our new nursery.

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