New Varieties 

 of Carnivorous Plants 



DAVID LANE 



Several new varieties of car- 

 nivorous plants have been 

 introduced in the past year 

 or so and some have been fea- 

 tured in recent issues of American 

 Nurseryman and Horticulture. This 

 brief article describes four new 

 varieties, lists sources for li\e 

 plants, and provides addition 

 information. The ability to easily 

 propagate new hybrids, especially 

 by tissue culture, should lead to 

 increased availability of these 

 ever-popular plants. 



About a year ago, the Atlanta 

 Botanical Garden released a robust all-red form of 

 Venus Fly Trap called 'Akai Ryu' (or Red Dragon) in 

 which the entire plant becomes burgundy-colored in 

 sufficient light. I have grown this variet)' under fluo- 

 rescent light, on a windowsill, and in the green- 

 house. Propagation for commercial release of this 

 cultivar was being handled by Agristarts III of 

 Apoka, Florida. Plants are now available from the 

 specialized mail order nurseries that cater to carnivo- 

 rous plant enthusiasts. The Carnivorous Plant Newslet- 

 ter , sponsored by the International Carnivorous 

 Plant Society, lists these nurseries annually. Several 

 of these nurseries have websites and provide online 

 ordering over the Internet. 



The December 15, 1997, issue of American Nursery- 

 man [v. 186 (12) p. 77] introduces a new cultivar of 

 pitcher plant named 'Ladies in Waiting.' It's a 

 multispecies hybrid developed by Rob Gardner at 

 UNC-Chapel Hill and Larry Mellichamp at UNC- 

 Charlotte. This variety is also featured as a "TOP 

 PICK" in the February, 1998 issue of Horticulture 

 [v. 95 (2) p. 34-36]. It's a vigorous upright green 

 pitcher that reaches 1 1/2 feet high. The upper por- 

 tion of the pitcher has an open hood with fluted 

 edges, lettuce green interior with white speckling. 



and an overlay of maroon mar- 

 bling. It is hardy in zones 6 to 

 9. The source is given as Niche 

 Gardens in Chapel Hill, which 

 maintains an online ordering 

 system at its website. This nurs- 

 ery also sells another smaller 

 hybrid from the same team 

 called 'Dixie Lace,' which has 

 prominent red veins. I bought a 

 small plant of 'Dixie Lace' from 

 Larry Mellichamp himself at a 

 meeting last year and have been 

 growing it in a window sill en- 

 vironment for several months. 

 The January 1, 1998, issue of American Nurseryman 

 [v. 187 (1) p. 14] has a story about a new "All-Green 

 Purple Pitcher Plant" (named Sarracenia purpurea 

 subsp. venosa var. burkii forma alba) to be introduced 

 by the Atlanta Botanical Garden this year. In reality, 

 the scientific name given is incorrect. The actual 

 name is Forma luteola. This is an all-green (anthocya- 

 nin-free) form discovered originally growing wild, I 

 believe. Seedlings are currently for sale from the At- 

 lanta Botanical Garden at $25 each. 



All of these varieties are being formally described 

 in the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter whose sponsoring 

 society serves as the International Registration Au- 

 thority for carnivorous plants. By the time you read 

 this, three of these varieties will be growing in the 

 UNH greenhouses. The greenhouses are open to the 

 public. I will add the fourth variety, the all-green 

 pitcher plant, as soon as I receive it. 



David Lane, biological sciences librarian, Biological 

 Sciences Library, Kendall Hall, University of New 

 Hampshire, 129 Main St., Durham, NH 03824-3590, 

 can be reached at 603-862-3718 or david.lane@unh.edu. 



Illustration by Kristina Bilonick 



TH E PL ANTSMAN 



