Veiny plants:
The heavy veining on this
plant is remarkable. Do you see that there is a network of smaller veins interconnecting the large
vertical veins? The presence of such a network has been cited as a way to differentiate Sarracenia rubra
from Sarracenia alata plants in cultivation, and I have found this criterion to be reliable and useful.
As such, the netted vein on these pitchers makes this plant an odd little puzzle.
If I were faced with this plant in cultivation, I would not know how to classify it--I might tentatively
call it a Sarracenia rubra hybrid, and wait to see what the flowers looked like.
What was a reasonable
explanation for this peculiar, pretty specimen? The richly colored and veiny Sarracenia psittacina grew in
the area (although I had yet to see any). Was it
possible
that this Sarracenia alata specimen was actually a plant of hybrid ancestry? Is the swelling of the pitcher
near the upper part of the tube further indication of hybridization? Hmm. Too bad it wasn't in flower, as some
indication of hybrid nature might be visible in the flower, too.
Beth and I spent some time
looking around, but didn't find any other carnivores (except for some U. subulata--no surprise there).
Ready to move on, we returned to the car to head towards
the really big fields of Sarracenia.
