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N. hamata acting strange

vft guy in SJ

VFT and Drosera lover
Hi guys... My N. hamata is looking kinda poorly right now and I am looking for possible ideas as to why.

I recently replaced the fluorescent tubes over the tank it sits in and it immediately reacted by makeing progressively smaller leaves with (for the leaf size) pretty large pitchers.

In the first pic you can see on the top right of the plant a regular sized leaf, with a very tiny pitcher on it. (The pitcher is below the old red-brown leaf to the right of the larger pitcher.) The next leaf to the bottom left has a midsized pitcher, but the leaf is smaller the the previous leaves by about 50%.

In the second pic, as you can see, the newest pitcher/leaf the leaf is almost non-existant but the pitcher is large and well defined.

If you look in the center of the plant you can see that it appears to be forming a second growth point.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this before?

Thanks
Steve

hamata1.JPG


hamata2.JPG


Full size pics are available here:
http://steve.nightscapecreations.com/hamatadec06/hamata1full.JPG
http://steve.nightscapecreations.com/hamatadec06/hamata2full.JPG
 
Very interesting! I'd say just an increase in the light caused it obviosly...its not mite damage. Wierd reaction.
 
Heat damage, possibly with stress from lack of oxygen to the roots. My aristolochioides was affected seriously by this problem until it decided to send out a basal a year later. The leaves are identical to what it had (extremely coriaceouos, gnarled, and unusually small - definition of "stunted", really), coupled with the fact that it pitchered just fine. Here's a pic before its trim:
dscn2089qv4.jpg

In the foreground is the new growth, and the the taller stem in the background was the abomination (cutting seems keen to root).
New growth is healthy and vigorous.

Cheers
Amori
 
Thanks Amori,

Do you think a simple change of light tubes could cause heat damage? Except for the replacement of the light tubes, none of the other conditions have changed. If anything I would expect that it is probably several degrees cooler on average than what it was getting through the summer months. I do not heat my house in the winter. Daytime highs range in the low to mid 60's and nighttimes can get down into the 50s.

Did you repot your plant into an airier mix to solve the low oxygen problem? I believe that mine is in a "chunky" mix of orchid bark, charcoal and LFS topdressed with a layer of live sphagnum.

Thanks
Steve
 
I did since repot it and my whole collection. It turned out I packed the LFS way too tightly for Nepenthes. Over half of the moss in each container was excess.

'Tis a mystery... If my problem hadn't been caused by heat and/or a stagnant root zone, it's anyone's guess as to what really affected the plants; your conditions are ideal.
Oh well!

Cheers!
Amori
 
Hmmmmmm. I'm beginning to suspect this N. hamata is a kerflooey clone. Mine has had some odd growth-point action as well. It started making smaller leaves, but also a bit gnarled and no pitchers - very different than yours, but still a growth point thing. On the plus side, it's put out a couple more basals, and the growth point has resumed acting normally. I don't know what's going on, but it's strange that we both have growth point issues from the same clone (which I got from a grower that was having trouble with it). I'll take a pic later when I get home.

Capslock
 
Hi there:

it reminded me when i grew my first ventrata, yes ventrata and i got root rot on it. Please check the roots even if it isn't root rot, it will not hurt to do so.

Gus
 
Hi,

the growth point of this plant is strongly deformed due to mites. You should look for a good akarizid to get rid of this pest.

Joachim
 
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