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B. liniflora

Here are the steps to how I pollinate my B. liniflora. By self-pollinating, you get about twice as many seeds as normal from B. liniflora.

1.First, I wait for a flower to fully open.
2.Then,I take a toothpick and color it black with a permanent marker .
3.Wait a minute or two for the toothpick to dry.
4.Next, take the black colored end and brush it up and down over the yellow things.
5.Pollen will now release and you will see yellow spacks everywhere on the purple/lilac petals.
6.Use the black end of the toothpick to gather all of the pollen that has fallen onto the petals.
7.Finally,brush the pollen onto the hairy purple thing that is near the yellow things.
8. If you were successful, the petals should die in 1-3 days and the seed pod will begin to swell. The seeds pod takes about 2-4 weeks to ripen. It is ready when the pod is brown and is bulging alot. This is how I have successfully hand-pollinate all of my *B. liniflora flowers. I normally get about 25-50 seeds per flower.

Here is a picture of a flower from bestcarnivorousplants.com.
http://www.bestcarnivorousplants.com/CP_Phot...._03.jpg
 
I will copy that process so I can refer to it later (that is if I can talk someone into giving me seed again). What I need is a sure fire process for getting the seed to germinate. A generous member gave me some B. liniflora seed this past summer but I could not get a single one to grow.

What is your process for germination? I followed the advice from the Savage Garden and I got nothing!
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (cphog @ Nov. 20 2005,1:26)]I will copy that process so I can refer to it later (that is if I can talk someone into giving me seed again). What I need is a sure fire process for getting the seed to germinate. A generous member gave me some B.liniflora seed this past summer but I could not get a single one to grow.

What is your process for germination? I followed the advice from the Savage Garden and I got nothing!
I sow the seed on equal parts peat;perlite;and lfs. I then cover the pot with plastic wrap and put it .5inches away from my fluorescent grow light. Germination usually takes 1-4 weeks with fresh seed.
 
Excellent!!!!!!! Worthy of being pinned.
 
How much seed does a pod normally contain without doing self-pollination?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (PiranhaPlant @ Nov. 20 2005,6:35)]How much seed does a pod normally contain without doing self-pollination?
Normally 10 seeds at the most.
 
I'll have to remember to come back to this excellent thread when (and if!) my Byblis seedlings reach flowering maturity. I have to get the seeds first though
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Nice information. My b. liniflora <span style='color:red'>[Edit: spelling: Byblis, genus names are always written with an initial capital letter, even if they are just abbreviated.]</span> just produced two unopened flowers....I've always let them self-pollinate but I'll have to give this a try.
 
That's a very useful guide, Dewy. In my experience, flowers that have not been hand pollinated to not always produce seed on their own. I'd like to add a few comments, as I have tried several times to establish this species in my collection and have only succeeded in the last two years. I find that the earliest flowers on each plant tend to produce the most seed. Sometimes, the petals also persist for about a week or so, even when pollination later proves to have been successful. Also, interestingly, I sowed about 12 seeds from one of my adult plants last February, and was very disappointed when only two of them germinated (both of which sprouted within three weeks, and both of which are now flowering plants). Surprisingly, a further 5 have germinated during the last month, so to anyone who sows seed which has apparently failed to germinate, don't give up. Finally, I'm interested that you suggest growing the plants 5 inches from your flourescent lights. I grow my plants at least that distance away as well. I had numerous failures with this species when trying to grow them too close. They don't seem to like being kept as close to the lights as most Drosera species do. I also find that they do best with perlite in the soil mix. This seems to work far better than the simple sand/peat mix recommended by most books. I hope your guide ensures that this species finds its way into more collections. It is certainly worth growing.

Cheers,

Greg
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Finally, I'm interested that you suggest growing the plants 5 inches from your flourescent lights. I grow my plants at least that distance away as well. I had numerous failures with this species when trying to grow them too close. They don't seem to like being kept as close to the lights as most Drosera species do.

Agreed. I keep mine 8-12" under 80W cool white fluorescents and they grow fine/produce lots of dew. When I've brought them closer, the leaf tips begin to brown. I imagine they are more sensitive to the heat the bulbs produce than other, more robust CPs.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I also find that they do best with perlite in the soil mix. This seems to work far better than the simple sand/peat mix recommended by most books.

Also agree. I now use a 1:1:1 peat:perlite:sand mix for mine. I find it's easier for the seedlings to root into, and there's less chance for compaction as the mix ages.
 
  • #11
I use pinguiculaman's method to germinate mine. I dunno where that thread is so if anyone finds it they can put it here... actually... I thought it was pinned... I guess not. Oh well, anyways I think it does work. I just completed the method on Saturday and I think I found a seedling this morning. It's kind of small to tell.
 
  • #12
Bump,for those that might have B. liniflora flowers.
 
  • #13
I have a flower bud, but it's very tiny right now.
 
  • #14
I have a flower that's about to fully open in a day or two, most likely tomorrow. What is this purple hairy thing? I don't see it and is there more than one, so I just completely cover this purple hairy thing in pollen?
 
  • #15
[b said:
Quote[/b] (PiranhaPlant @ Jan. 09 2006,2:52)]I have a flower that's about to fully open in a day or two, most likely tomorrow. What is this purple hairy thing? I don't see it and is there more than one, so I just completely cover this purple hairy thing in pollen?
It is in the center between the yellow "balls". There is only one of these per flower. You can't see the purple hairy thing (stigma) until the flower completely opens. Make sure you use a permanent marker to color a toothpick black. When the flower opens, use the black end of the toothpick, and stroke up and down on the yellow balls to release the pollen. If there is any pollen left on the flower petals,use the black end of the toothpick to transfer the pollen to the stigma. You should get around 25-60 seeds per flower bud using this method.
 
  • #16
How long does a flower stay fully open, because I had a flower open a little bit, not fully and it closed a little bit. Is it too late or do flowers normally close at night time?
 
  • #17
[b said:
Quote[/b] (dewy @ Jan. 09 2006,4:40)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] (PiranhaPlant @ Jan. 09 2006,2:52)]I have a flower that's about to fully open in a day or two, most likely tomorrow. What is this purple hairy thing? I don't see it and is there more than one, so I just completely cover this purple hairy thing in pollen?
It is in the center between the yellow "balls". There is only one of these per flower. You can't see the purple hairy thing (stigma) until the flower completely opens. Make sure you use a permanent marker to color a toothpick black. When the flower opens, use the black end of the toothpick, and stroke up and down on the yellow balls to release the pollen. If there is any pollen left on the flower petals,use the black end of the toothpick to transfer the pollen to the stigma. You should get around 25-60 seeds per flower bud using this method.
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FLOWER PORN!! LOL!! J/K..
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Sorry guys i just had to say that... Hehehehehe..
smile.gif
 
  • #18
It opened today , whoot
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Edit: I tried pollinating it and it's pretty hard, barely any pollen off onto the petals and I was worried that I might snap the stigma.

2nd Edit: The flower closed, I hope I pollinated it. I couldn't tell if I did, the stigma is too small even with my glasses, I could barely see. For the next flower, Im using a magnifying glass.
 
  • #19
[b said:
Quote[/b] (PiranhaPlant @ Jan. 10 2006,10:49)]It opened today , whoot
smile.gif


Edit: I tried pollinating it and it's pretty hard, barely any pollen off onto the petals and I was worried that I might snap the stigma.

2nd Edit: The flower closed, I hope I pollinated it. I couldn't tell if I did, the stigma is too small even with my glasses, I could barely see. For the next flower, Im using a magnifying glass.
If it closed not long after pollinating it, you most likely succeeded. The stigma is relatively small, but after pollinating several B.liniflora flowers, you will get the hang of it. The flowers will usually stay open for 1-2 days if you don't self-pollinate.
 
  • #20
Cool, I was worried that stigma make snap off as I was brushing pollen on it. How can a small little purple thing produce 25-50 seeds :p
 
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