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Utricularia beaugleholei

Germination was noted in seed sown 011504. The fresh seed was sown on sopping wet Supersphagnum in a small cocktail sauce cup with a transparent lid, and kept at ambient room temps. Germination so far has been sparse, but I am hoping to see more seed sprout.

Similar success has been achieved with U. caerulea sowed 011504 with identical methods.

I attribute both these successes to the fresh quality of the seed.

Although U. caerulea is an annual species, U. beaugleholei is perrenial and it will be a special focus to reproduce it by lolon divisions to introduce it into widespread culture here in the U.S.A. I believe this is a real First introduction, and I am very honored to have this chance to establish this species here!

Now the worries begin, but hey: I grow D. uniflora. I am used to worrying, LOL

<Happy dance, Happy dance>
 
Congrats Tamlin! I barely can keep CPs alive that have well known cultivation techniques, so it's very impressive that you can do well with such rare species, where little or nothing may be known (not necessarily referring to this one - I don't know anything about it).

Here's my question: How do you pronounce it? My best butchering would be "bugle holey". Heh.

Edit: Left out an important word, whoops.
 
Nice! You wouldn't by any chance be thinking of trying to get U. biloba introduced cultivation in the U.S. too?
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Congratulations Tamlin,

I knew that if anybody could get it to germinate it would be you!

BTW Trashcan, the name is pronounced "Bugle hole eye". It was named by my friend Robert Gassin in honour of A.C Beauglehole, an Australian botanist who explored and collected botanical specimens from areas around south eastern Australia, particularly in the state of Victoria around the city of Melbourne.

You have gotten past the difficult part- to germinate the seeds. It should be easy from here
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My seed of the species was "sown" around 8 weeks ago. The seed was not exactly sown by myself but fell naturally onto the pot by the parent plants I collected back in November.

I have collected seed of this species numerous times in the past 13 years and have never managed to get any germination until this attempt. I also have seed which I have not sown yet and now may not have to.

Germination began around 3 weeks ago when I noticed a couple of small lolons growing away from the parent plants. At first I thought these may have been grass or something similar until they produced a couple more leaves which were distinctly U. beaugleholei. Since then I have had another 50 or so small leaves appear and each is forming its own little plant. The great thing about these little plants is that they form bladders on top of the potting mix that you can actually see. They are largish "for a Utric" blackish with a distinct open mouth which faces upwards.

Until now the growing techniques for this species are quite unknown as very few people have had the opportunity to grow the plants. They were assumed to be an annual plant due to the conditions in which they grow. In all areas I have seen them they have grown in wetlands or fields that are seasonally wet in winter and spring but dry out rapidly in late spring. At this time of year the wetlands are bone dry.

Since obtaining the plants in November they have continued to grow after flowering and many have begun to send out runners with new leaves. With some luck I may be able to fill a couple of pots with them. It seems that is possible to grow the plants as perennials, time will tell.

Tamlin, I'm sure this plant will be much easier to grow and reproduce than the D. uniflora so with some luck others may begin to see this plant appear in collections in the future.

The plant itself is a beautiful relative of U. dichotoma. I believe it to be a far superior plant than the typical dichotoma due to-

1. the size of the plants. They are much more robust than any dichotoma.

2. the size of the flowers. These are at least 3 times the size of dichotoma.

3. the number of flowers. The flowers grow in whorls of 3. Sometimes plants can have as many as 12 flowers. You'll never see 12 open at once, but I have seen 9 on some plants.

4. The traps are visible on top of the soil and quite large. A great feature that many Utrics including dichotoma typically don't have.

5. Flower form. Extra ribs on the palate, beautiful darker purple veins on the lower corolla and an enlarged upper corolla than folds back around itself.

The plants and seedlings are growing in pots of peat and sand in a small fishtank on the floor of my greenhouse. I have kept the waterlevel constantly at the rim of the pot to ensure the plants stay wet and almost submerged at all times. So far this technique seems to be working.

Tamlin, you must keep me updated on the progress of the seedlings to compare with mine.

Once again congratulations and good luck!

Oh, and here are a couple photos for those who haven't seen the plants to relate to-

Firstly a shot of a bunch of flowers growing in a wetland very close to my house. They are a truly stunning plant when seen in full flower.

Utricularia%20beaugleholei5%20231103.JPG


And a shot of the tiny prized seedlings taken a couple of days ago-

Utricularia%20beaugleholei%20seedlings%20230104.JPG


And finally a shot of one of the parent plants where you can make out a couple of the bladders and the runners heading off in a couple of directions-

Utricularia%20beaugleholei1%20230104.JPG


If there are any experienced Utric growers (by this I mean those who specialize in Utrics with a considerable collection) out there who are interested in a few seeds let me know as I may be able to spare a few. I would prefer if only those who are proven growers of this genus to receive the seeds at the moment as I would like to ensure the plants have the best chance possible to germinate, grow, thrive and be passed on to more interested growers in the future. Please PM me and let me know your credentials
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Regards,

Sean.
 
Well, I am terribly excited at having this species growing, and thanks all for the kind words! It was a real CP moment when I saw those seedlings!!!  I really appreciate hearing the history surrounding this plant Sean, and for the exquisite photos! Thank you so much!

IceDragon: I too am seeking Utricularia biloba, which is not in my collection at present.  It is in cultivation though, so I hope it will be only a matter of time before I find someone willing to share this.  Utricularian's seem particularly willing to share their material, probably due to the relative ease of cultivating and reproducing most of them.  As far as CP Genera go, there are not many who feel the strong attraction we feel for these plants, but we are all of us "Brothers of the Bladder", and take our pride in the fact that "Utric's suck"!

I am more known for my love of Drosera species, but I have to say that Utricularia are every bit as fascinating to me with the added plus that I am not so immersed in their taxonomy, although that will change when I finally obtain a copy of Taylor and a good microscope to view the bladders which are so diagnostic for this genus.

Anyways, count on me to do my utmost to spread this species, providing it does well for me.  When it comes to rare CP, the real measure of a grower is in the sharing, not the having.   I will certainly give it my utmost attention, and I greatly appreciate being given this chance to grow it.
 
Congratulations, gentlemen!

BTW: U.biloba is in culture here in europe...
 
I have U. biloba, however my start, and that of several other UK growers I know, came 'contaminated' with U. bisquamata and I have been reluctant to share it for this reason (I'm often asked for some). Hopefully, when/if it flowers again I will be able to start a clean culture from scape cuttings and pass it around a bit over here.

Vic
 
I grow a pure pot of U. biloba from a location near Sydney which I believe is the plants southernmost occurence. I'm all the way down in Australia though and it's a bit hard to spread around from down here.

Sean.
 
Congratulations you guys, that is quite a feat!
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Cole
 
  • #10
Well Tamlin if you ever get a biloba and have enough to share please contact me. I'm dieing to get my hands on one.
 
  • #12
Surely there are a few experianced Utric growers out there who are interested in some seed from this species! Just goes to show how maligned the genera is.

Sean.
 
  • #13
I also grow Utricularia biloba in the UK. Bestcarnivorousplants in the Czech Republic are listing U biloba (two forms, one seed-grown from Alan Lowrie's list). They ship worldwide (including USA). They operate a minimum order value of 60Eur, so coupled with the cost of postage (plus phytosanitary certificates, if required) it might mean it's sensible to put in a collective or large order. Their plants are not huge (nor cheap), but, I recommend them for some of the harder-to-find CPs.

http://www.bestcarnivorousplants.com

Rob.
http://www.rob-rah.com
udder7@hotmail.com
 
  • #16
Very exciting news and great photos. U. Beaugleholei sounds like a wonderful plant.

Its nice to hear about the rare plants getting started and passed around.

Congrats to you both.
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Suzanne
 
  • #17
Maybe this will put a cork in certain repeated comments that no one makes any effort to bring in new material to cultivation. I am hoping to see germination in U. benthamii, U. westonii, and U. minutimissia as well in the near future.  Thanks again to all who have made this possible.
 
  • #18
Beutiful Sean! They look like blue eyed grass lol.

Congrats William,I have been pollinateing my U.micro calyx flower in hopes of seed,if I do get seed any tips on germination? And should I even bother with them? Or trade them off?
 
  • #19
Lolon? Is that like a stolon?
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  • #20
'Lolon' is Tamlins word for the stolons that look like leaves which members of the Utricularia genus form.
 
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