Heeeeelp...... I just received GA3 for Byblis hybrid seeds....

[Not a Number]

Hmmm, might have missed the grand opening. Won't be around the next couple days either.

 

[jimscott]

It'll keep opening up for several days, fortunately.

 

[Not a Number]

I haven't caught them full open yet: B. 'Goliath' x guehoi
Second plant

Anthers look shriveled, maybe past its shelf date.

 

[jimscott]

I like the clarity that you can get from your camera. I struggle with mine.

 

[Not a Number]

Your camera either has less megapixels or you are using "digital" zoom. The latter blows up the pixels and has to interpolate details which accounts for some of the "blotchy" look. Much like doing a tight crop in a photo editing.

 

[Not a Number]

Well I tried with no luck to get these to release pollen. I tried twacking a pair of forceps like a tuning for and scrubbing them with paint brush. Guess I'll breakout the battery powered toothbrush but it's a rotary type, not oscillating.

 

[jimscott]

My new flowers are just buds, several days from opening up. Isn't there some sort of sac that can be popped?

 

[Not a Number]

I tried squeezing the anthers with forceps and "buzzing" it with my electric toothbrush. Nothing, maybe a higher frequency is needed or perhaps the hybrids don't produce pollen

 

[jimscott]

Since the one plant is a creeping vine, I am attempting to encourage it to take root on the soil surface of a pot in its path:

In case I can actually do anything with 2 flowers that are open at the same time...

 

[Not a Number]

Brian Barnes suggests removing a few anthers and splitting them in half with a razor blade. Dry for 15 minutes and rub the split side on the stigma of another plant.

 

[jimscott]

I can live with that approach, since I don't own an electric toothbrush!

 

[Not a Number]

Cutting the anthers open works, I could see pollen grains. I do need to get some micro surgery tweezers/forceps though. The dental tweezers I have are just not designed for working with such small soft tissue.

 

[jimscott]

I need a surgeon... somebody who has good manual dexterity!

 

[jimscott]

Here's the other plant:

B. 'Goliath' x guehoi B

 

[Not a Number]

hmmm, looks like the other flowers aborted on one of the plants.

The branching hybrid has yet to show flowers.

Still no pulvinus observed on any of the plants.

 

[jimscott]

I've gotta wait a day or two before the other plant opens up a flower before I perform micro-surgery.

 

[jimscott]

Here are both flowering plants:

Now for the hard part...

 

[Not a Number]

Slice and dice

Brian says the stigma will be dewy looking if they are receptive, almost like tiny Drosera. Pollen should stick readily to the stigma.

 

[jimscott]

Pollen? LOL! I haven't seen any pollen. Glad I took the 'before' picture, before butchering the flower parts. I ended up plucking the anthers and putting them on paper, on top of the light, where it's warmer & drier. Who knows... maybe I'll get lucky.... Hey, is that tranparent looking thingy supposed to be the stamen?

 

[Not a Number]

Yeah, the purple tube with the puff ball on the end is the stigma. Slice the banana open lengthwise and the pollen should be available. I used a #15 scalpel. A single edged razor or Xacto knife would work just as well.