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I bought both these Nepenthes at Kroger last summer. They are both labelled as N. coccinea, but they have different looking pitchers and growing characteristics.

This one has pitchers of a solid maroon color. It has small wings, and the vine tends to grow quickly.
N.%20coccinea%201.jpg


This one produces freckled pitchers. The wings are more prominent, and it seems to be slower-growing.
N.%20coccinea%202.jpg


Are these differences just minor genetic variation within the hybrid, or are they, in fact, similar (perhaps very close), but distinct, hybrids?

Peter D'Amato lists four hybrids that are essentially the same cross of N. mirabilis x (rafflesiana x ampullaria):

N. wrigleyana
N. morganiana
N. lawrenciana
N. coccinea

He lists the N. coccinea as appearing like the top set of pics; according to his description, the bottom pics might perhaps be any of the first three hybrids I mentioned.

Anybody have any ideas?
 
Well, DeRoose over in Holland created the TC versions, and they have a mottled clone and a red clone, that I have heard of, at least.

Cheers,

Joe
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (The Griffin @ Mar. 23 2005,6:47)]Well, DeRoose over in Holland created the TC versions, and they have a mottled clone and a red clone, that I have heard of, at least.

 Cheers,

 Joe
"TC" versions?
 
Joe Griffin is right. Deroose Plants has tissue cultured two different clones of N. coccinea. ... kind of...

N. coccinea is a Victorian hybrid, there are male and female plants. N. wrigelyana and lawrenciana are the same hyrbid, but made at different times. They are different grexes of the hybrid N. mirabilis x hookeriana. N. morganiana is the reciprocal cross N. hookeriana x mirabilis. There is only one surviving plant of N. morganiana.

Deroose Plants produces thousands of these coccineas that are sold worldwide. At this point, you may be wondering how a Victorian hybrid is being mass produced from tissue culture (since neps can't be mericloned - yet). Well, that's because it really isn't true coccinea. We suspect that two siblings (female coccinea x male coccinea) were crossed to each other to produce the seed that went into TC. Some people say that it's not really a true coccinea, but the differences are minimal. True coccinea is still around in cultivation.
There are two clones of coccinea in tissue culture. One is nearly solid red, the other one is spotted. We see very little difference in growth habit and vigor between the two clones. Both are male.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Trent @ Mar. 23 2005,10:36)]There are two clones of coccinea in tissue culture.  One is nearly solid red, the other one is spotted.  We see very little difference in growth habit and vigor between the two clones.  Both are male.
So it would appear I have one of each clone?
 
Someone please enlighten me here. If Nepenthes can't be mericloned, then why are they called 'tissue' cultured plants? Their tissues are never really utilized, right? Aren't they in essence seed grown in vitro? Which would make them all individual clones...wouldn't it? I was always under the impression that a plant from tissue culture was a meristem clone and all the Nepenthes which are grown in labs are actually seed grown in sterile conditions making them not really true tissue cultures. What is the real truth? Is tissue culture just a name given to the process of growing seed in vitro? I would really love to know.

Thanks for any insight.

Phil
 
Phil,

You're half right - it is seed material that they use, but the tissue is cultured, so that one seedling can produce thousands of clones. Seed tissue in neps is free of the (symbiotic?) fungi/bacteria that dwell within more mature nep tissue, which is why meristem cloning can't be done, from what I understand.

Hamish
 
Hamish-

That makes sense. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

Phil
 
  • #10
Scott,
Yes, you have one of each.

Hamish,
We hear rumors of breakthroughs in Nep mericloning. A couple a very famous Vicotiran hybrids have been mericloned, as well as superior forms of species... so we hear. It's all very top secret.

Phil,
When tissue culturing Nep seed, it's pretty much "blind" luck. So, that's why B. E. and M. T. have many different clones of the same species (like raff gigantea clone 99, yes, that means 98 clones came before it!). Only the most desireable get put into mass production. The seed protocorm can be divided ad infinitum.
 
  • #11
Scott:Do you know which of the clones my plant is?

Btw. I planted it in a nice tall(12in tall 6in wide or thereabouts) half gallon nursery pot. Thinking it will quickly grow into this pot,is this so?
 
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