NEPENTHES 



The methods pursued in cultivating Nepenthes as docorative subjects are likewise 

 unfavourable to the production of flowers, as pitchers being the desiderata, 

 plants are subjected to severe pruning, with the object of their production. 



The species used by Dominy in the first cross was an unnamed one with 

 green pitchers from Borneo, and Nepenthes Rafflesiana, the result a plant 

 producing pitchers fairly intermediate in character. Named N. x Dominiana 

 after its raiser, and distributed in 1862,' exhibited at the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's Show, held in June of the same year at Kensington. The second of 

 Dominy's hybrids, N. X hybrida, had as parents N. Khasiana (then known as 

 N. distillatoria) and an unnamed Bornean species. The pitchers larger than 

 those of N. distillatoria, were bright green. A variety N. x hybrida maculata 

 has grodn pitchers thickly covered with red spots; both were distributed in 

 1866. 



Seden followed Dominy in this interesting work, and obtained his first hybrid, 

 which bears his name, from Nepenthes Khasiana (distillatoria) and an unnamed 

 Bornean species, the same as Dominy employed in producing N. x hybrida. 

 The pitchers of N. x Sedenii are vivid green, splashed with bright crimson 

 spots. 



This was followed by Nepenthes x Chelsoni,* also raised by Seden, from 

 N. Hookeriana crossed with the pollen from N. x Dominii, a hybrid being used 

 for the first time as a parent. 



The work of hybridization has been carried on by succeeding growers whenever 

 staminate and pistillate flowers have been available simultaneously, either of 

 species or of hybrids. 



Court, who succeeded Seden, produced several fine hybrids, the first 

 Nepenthes x intermedia, the result of crossing an unnamed species with N. 

 Rafflesiana, followed in 1877 by N. x Courtii, from the same parentage as 

 N. x hybrida. 



Nepenthes x Stewartii appeared in 1879, from N. phyllamphora crossed with 

 N. Hookeriana, and N. x Ratcliffianaf in 1881 from a similar parentage. The 

 latter dedicated to Alfred E. Ratcliff Esq., of Edgbaston, Birmingham, at that 

 time a distinguished amateur of this interesting race. 



A hybrid Nepenthes x rubro-maculata, the result of crossing N. x hybrida 

 with an unknown species, was distributed in 1881. The varietal name was given 

 in allusion to the marked claret-red spotting marking the pale green ground 

 colour of the pitchers. The same year a hybrid, N. x Wrigleyana, named in 

 compliment to Oswald Wrigley Esq., of Bridge Hall, Lancashire, was obtained, 

 the product of N. Hookeriana and N. phyllamphora, and this was followed by 

 a hybrid of American origin, N. x Morganise, in 1882, the result of either 

 N. x Sedenii or N. phyllamphora with N. Hookeriana. 



The year 1883 is noteworthy for one of the most ornamental and easily 

 grown of all hybrid Nepenthes, N. x Mastersiana, " in compliment to Dr. 

 Masters, of the Gardeners' Chronicle, as a slight recognition of his invaluable 

 services to Horticulture." Raised by Court from N. sanguinea crossed with 

 N. Khasiana (N. distillatoria, Glasnevin variety, of gardens), the seed remained 

 dormant so long that it barely escaped destruction. Fortunately life was 

 detected at the last moment, and a further trial resulted in a plant which 



* Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1874, fig. f Veitchs' Catlg. of PI. 1881, fig. 



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