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variegated macrophylla?

Hey Folks,

Got a N. macrophylla that is exhibiting some leaf variegation. Is this normal or a complete rarity. I wouldn't mind having a variegated N. macrophylla that's for sure! Feedback?

Check it out here until I figure out how to post an image here.Variegated Macrophylla
 
Interesting. If it is not some sort of nutrient deficiency causing abnormal leaf striations then I'd say you've got something special there cos mine isn't variegated!
Did the plant just begin making this or did each leaf have a bit of silvery/white on each leaf when it arrived? Is the plant exposed to any strong chemicals or smells? I wouldn't imagine so, but some chemicals can do some strange things to plants-such as swap thier genes and start creating differently shaped leaves and cause thier chromosome counts to change.
Keep us up to date on this!
 
Dear Joel:

I don't want to spoil the party, but since you mentioned it, see if the following quote from mike catalani's nepenthes university section on macrophylla applies to your query.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]It is reported that some of the plants in cultivation may be a hybrid (N. x Tusmadiensis (N. macrophylla x N. lowii)) since there have been reports of hairs on the underside of the lids. This is possible if seed was collected, since N. x trusmadiensis is a naturally occurring hybrid. It was once reported that N. x trusmadiensis was somewhat abundant on Mt. Trusmadi, but later reports stated that it is very rare, and that all plants may be connected to the main mother plant. It could be that seed was collected from a macrophylla plant, in which some of the flowers of the racemae was fertilized with pollen from N. lowii.  Whereas my plant was fairly fast growing, plants which are in question of being a hybrid are reported to grow rather slowly (a trait of lowii.) I have noticed that the pitchers of one of the plants in question matches closely that of N. trusmadiensis, and is much more red in coloration than my macrophylla plant, which had yellow orange pitchers and no hairs under the lid.

are all macrophyllas hairy?. yours is definitely hairy!!


Gus
 
The article is speaking about the stalagmite type hairs of N. lowii under the lid, not on the outside of the lid or leaf margins which is common for N. macrophylla (even the pitchers are somewhat velvety to the touch with very short hairs). The "stalagmite" hairs of N. lowii & N. Trusmadiensis are not visible (or developed) until the pitchers are at least 5+ cm in height and the pitchers becoming subadult.

His N. macrophylla looks similar to mine when I first recieved it last December. My N. Trusmadiensis x veitchii (I know, not exactly a N. Trusamdiensis but the closest I've gotten thus far) is indeed a far slower plant. I have owned it much longer than the N. macrophylla and it is just now reaching the same size and very slowly developing pitchers, showing no intention of forming sub adult pitchers yet at this stage, still only juvenile pitchers.
N. macrophylla begins creating sub adult pitchers very soon after the stage his plant is at now. Mine is 8 cm and the 3 cm pitchers clearly show the ribbed peristome stout yellow/orange pitchers tinted red with a wide mouth and broad lid. the leaves are slightly less hairy as it gets larger.
 
Mine deffinately doesnt look like that
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. It's just a regular one. Hmm, mine is about 6cm in diameter, and 3/4 inch pitchers. I've noticed that it's a nice steady grower so for. Hopefuly yesturdays milk feeding will help it along
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. N.A.T.H., I'd say that you now have the ultimate nepenthes
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. A species with large variegated leaves, and huge orange pitchers, with a highly toothed peristome! Your so lucky, hehe.
 
Wow, i've never seen variegated nepenthes. Interesting leaf. From the photo it looks like it's just that one leaf. Have you seen the variegation elsewhere in the plant?
 
I sent Joel some info via email but wanted to do a reply here also.

This is a classic example of a chimera mutation.  They are usually fairly unstable and the plant often outgrows it.  If you look closely at the picture the smaller leaf on the left side has some discoloration but not nearly as white as the larger leaf.  

Basically what has happened is some of the cells within the meristematic tissue have mutated and can no longer produce chlorophyll.  The meristem is now comprised of a mixture of normal and mutated cells.  As the plant grows and the cells within the meristem divide and grow to form various plant parts, the mutated cells may or may not show up.  It depends on the proportion between the two types of cells and the location within the meristem.  Picture it like an orange.. and consider just one section to contain mutated cells while all the others are normal.  The only time the mutation (in this case variegation) shows up is when the cells from that single affected section are used to form part of a leaf (or other plant part).

I have seen this before in various Nepenthes.  Sometimes it is a variegation.  Sometimes it is a malformed leaf etc.  Usually they pop up in stock from tissue cultured plants because of the increased likelyhood for mutation when dealing with callus proliferation.

Tony
 
If variegation takes place in only a part of the plant, it would be very interesting, if possible, to make a cutting out of this plant and let it grow on its own, then you'll have a 100% mutant macrophylla. Yeah!!. That's what i want to see some day.

Gus
 
I think it is Exotica Plants who have a variegated Nepenthes shown in their collection, but it's been a while since I looked at their site so I don't remember what species it is exactly.
 
  • #10
There was a Canadian nursery that was selling variegated N. Alatas I think... But, I can't seem to find their site now...

SF
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  • #11
Exotica has quite a few variegated ones. I know they have N. tobaica x veitchii, maxima x ventricosa, and ventricosa red. They may also posses the variegated forms of N. alata and N. x coccinea, but I dont know. N.A.T.H., I think you have the single rarest cp right now
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  • #12
I'll go with what Tony says! He is exactly right that the other lower leaf has a small sliver or white. The plant originated from Wistuba in Germany. I have 3 other mac's from the same clonage (I believe) that have not exhibited any variegation. So Tony is probably dead on with that TC thing. About the only other "fake" variegation I get is when my Neps get too much sun! Then I get "instant" leaf variegation but it's not the white kind!
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When the plant gets bigger, oh say...around 2005 I'll see if I get bigger variegated leaves. Rumor had it that Leo Song, another well known Carnivorous Plant enthusiast extroardinaire, had a variegated Nepenthes. I can't confirm nor deny that accusation. Thanks for all the feedback!

Joel
 
  • #13
I have seen a variegated alata up close at some of the LACPS meeting. The owner mentions that it needs a lot of sunlight. In fact, he grows it outdoors in CA sun without a greenhouse.
There is also a registered neps cultivar called coccinea 'Scarlet Splash' from what I remember.
 
  • #14
Man, I got mine from the same place, and it wasn't variegated. I should package mine up, and have it replaced
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  • #15
I remembered to take these pictures this evening:

var1.JPG

var2.JPG


Both photos are of the same clone of the same cross, it is very complex but I do remember a thorelli and a cross Isama Kusawabe involved. These varegations were produced only once probably due to the shift form my old indoor cutting chamber to the greenhouse. The light intensity was severely changed causing this freak varegation to take place. i will have to see if anything else happens.
 
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