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Different forms of capensis

  • Thread starter ati
  • Start date
I apologise if this is a dumb question, but I have been looking at pictures of D. capensis, and I have found a great deal of variation in the placement of the leaves: in some pictures, they seem to sprout from all over the soil in the pot, in others they form ground hugging rosettes, and the one I bought has formed a tall stalk with leaves coming out of it. Are these different mutations or is there just a lot of variations within the species?

thanks,
ati
 
There are 4 variations of capensis, each looking different to each other.
Capensis 'typica;' forms a stem over time and has green leaves with orange/red tantacles.
Capensis 'red' has red tentacles and the hwole plant is a red colour in full sun.
capensis var 'alba' looks similar to typical, but the tentacles are white and so are the flowers.
capensis 'small form' looks just like typical, but is reluctant to form a stem and is smaller then the capensis 'typical'
 
Starman, good descriptions! However, I believe he was talking growing habit. Yes, capensis is basically the same for all species, but do have variation in form and growing habit. Also, there is a giant form, but I have not seen one listed for some years. I did sell one at auction, and still have 3 in the collection. Peter D'Amato refers to my giant as Big Boy. Giant has on occasion grown 12 to 14 inches across, and the leaf blade is different from "typical" plants. Typically, "giant" gets 8 and 10 inches across, with the truly large spread happening if conditions are exactly perfect for the plant.
 
Oh, there are many more forms than the 4 listed by Starman in circulation. Just look at Allen Lowries seed list if you want a laugh, he has a ton of varieties listed. Seed merchants seem happy to list any sort of variation so they can beef up their sales.

This is a very variable species, especially in regards to overall size. Most plants form a sort of stem with age.
 
Last i heard there are four forms: Alba, Narrow leaf, Red, and Typical.
I myself grow Red and Typical forms, and i can tell you the only difference is color and a little bit of the shape, care is basically the same.
 
As William said, there are many, many more growth forms than the 4 listed. Whether or not some of these forms deserve to have names created for them is another matter entirely. This species cannot be classified into simply 4 different types, there is a huge amount of variation.
 
There are two officially registered cultivars of Drosera capensis:
D. 'Albino' (Borret & Farrow) Registered 10. 11. 1998
D. 'Narrow Leaf' (D'Amato) Registered 10. 11. 1998
 
My favorite one I have seen on Lowrie's list is one called "D. capensis, Wal-Mart". I am guessing someone found one at a Walmart and got seed from it. Good for them, lol

Cheers,

Joe
 
You know, i've read all these responses and i still think that one thing the original poster mentioned (thinking it was an issue of growth habit), and no one addressed, was actually the other aspect of D. capensis: weediness. If you see a photo with leaves coming up all over the soil, it's because the plant has seeded and is sprouting everywhere. They tend to do that.
laugh.gif


I'm the one in question that bought that giant form of capensis, and i'm almost certain it's an example of tetraploidy. The wide petioles, the generally larger everything, etc. The label (from D'amato) calls it "Broadleaf Giant".

Matt Opel got some seeds from me a while back, and if the size and habit is due to some interesting genetic shenanigan like tetraploidy, i imagine he'll investigate.
 
  • #10
For a picture of mine, just click on my profile tab. Feel free to do so.
 
  • #11
Hi,

You may also be interested in the following thread on our german board :

http://www.carnivoren.org/cgi-bin....7744161

Even if you can't read german, you will find some pictures there. The flower Bart Wozniak posted of his Drosera capensis 'Montague Pass' was something i have not yet seen before in Drosera capensis. According to Bart the plant is sterile (maybe it is a hybrid?). What other Drosera are growing near Montague Pass? Drosera capensis seems to be much more variable as i ever thought it to be.

regards,
Christian
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bugweed @ Nov. 05 2004,8:47)]Starman, good descriptions! However, I believe he was talking growing habit. Yes, capensis is basically the same for all species, but do have variation in form and growing habit. Also, there is a giant form, but I have not seen one listed for some years. I did sell one at auction, and still have 3 in the collection. Peter D'Amato refers to my giant as Big Boy. Giant has on occasion grown 12 to 14 inches across, and the leaf blade is different from "typical" plants. Typically, "giant" gets 8 and 10 inches across, with the truly large spread happening if conditions are exactly perfect for the plant.
I have a "giant"(not sure yet I`ll have to see when I get out) that I got from Dave and it also has hairless petioles that are also all green it`s realy quite neat...
Lol. my "wide leaf" is a mess! I gotta repot that thing.....

Btw. Dino it`s known as narrow leaf hear in the states.
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] (The Griffin @ Nov. 11 2004,1:59)]My favorite one I have seen on Lowrie's list is one called "D. capensis, Wal-Mart". I am guessing someone found one at a Walmart and got seed from it. Good for them, lol

 Cheers,

 Joe
Lol. It is good to keep track of sources. Good on him:)
 
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