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Gemmae color

Just a quick question...

I recently received some gemmae and there were some variation in color...

D.scopiodes (green but has turned brown)
D.nitidula (green but has turned black)
D.callistos (some green, some black)
D.ericksonae x pulchella (black)

Is it normal for gemmae to be different colors? I've been keeping them in high humidity, 66 degrees F, under high lighting (4 tube grolux, 2.5" away).
 
Hmm, did you want a quick answer? :p

Sounds like they didn't make it. Healthy gemmae from my experience are green. A very very nice shade of green. Most dead gemmae that I have had, have been various shades like you're describing.

At this rate with those temps and humidity, you'll probably notice some fungus on them before they dissappear totally.

Though, I could be wrong and one could sprout.

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The prognosis is not good. Green and red gemmae may be viable, black means dead. That's the double bind in sending gemmae in winter, things can often go bad. Bide awhile, and I will try to send something if any plants produce additional gemmae. You might want to email me and include your address.
 
Maybe I'm not looking for the right signs? I noticed that although my gemmae are brown, a couple of them have a single strand (some two) extending up from the gemmae. They're not quite big enough to clearly see, but at the same time, the gemmae itself is not fuzzy with mold.
 
May I ask how the gemmae were packed when you received them?

I can't tell if the change in color so far is from them rotting or drying.

By chance if the outer layer dried a little, but the innermost (heart of the gemmae make sense?) still held on until you placed them on the media in a humid area, I would think it could happen.

Don't give up, may as well see what happens and let us know.
 
The gemmae were in small, clear zip-lock bags with a bit of water in them. All the bags were wrapped together in a single layer of bubble wrap and placed in the envelope... They did traverse through regular mail in the cold winter and sat in regular room temperature for 2 days before I could plant them.

** Crossing fingers & toes **
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Yeah that sounds like they kind of rotted...better cross your ears too. :p

If it's doing something there's a chance. If you can, i'd try to get a look under a lense.
 
I have had soem gemmae that are brown still sprout. This only happened because there was some miniscule amount of living tissue at the root-bud area. Other than that, you may not have much luck.
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Cole
 
Root bud area? is that the bottom (pointy) part of the gemmae?
 
  • #10
Ok... it's official. All growth that I've been seeing on the gemmae are mold. There is however a miracle that has come out of this. About the same time I received these gemmae, I also received d.nitidula x occidentalis gemmae. These too also turned black. As I was abandoning hope on all the gemmae, there was glint of green in the corner crack of one of my sowing containers. I thought it was rogue weed or something but it clearly is branching out like a drosera and it looks as if the tips will be opening up!!
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  • #11
Bummer man. They died on you. I had all mine arrive but two last year and they died as plantlets
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Try again and hope for nicer shipping temps... BCK send me some in an insolated packedge this year and I had 100% survive, so you might want to try that.
 
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