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Written by Matt
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Monday, 05 May 2008 12:27 |
Publication: Australia Plant Varieties Journal, number 7, page 16, 1994
Registration Date: Name not registered; Australian national registration authority refuses to provide data, January 1999
Breeder: Geoffrey Mansell of Gin Gin, Queensland, Australia (Australian patent application 93/069)
Nominant: Geoffrey Mansell
Registrant: Geoffrey Mansell, 1993
Description:
Quoted from the ICPS database: "Distinct from other varieties (sic!) of [Dionaea muscipula {Soland. ex Ellis}] in that all parts of the plant, with the exception of the margins of the traps (see fig. 12), are dark red in colour (RHS 59A). [Dionaea muscipula {Soland. ex Ellis}] produces rosettes of petiolate (<= 85mm long), bi-lobed (<= 26mm long * <= 17 mm high), decumbent to erect leaves, the size of which varies with season. Do not exhibit any physical differences to other [Dionaea muscipula {Soland. ex Ellis}]. Green margins and red inner surfaces of the trap are characteristics common to both [Dionaea 'Royal Red' {AUPBR 464}] and the normal form of [Dionaea muscipula {Soland. ex Ellis}], and it is the colour of the other plant parts which make [Dionaea 'Royal Red' {AUPBR 464}] distinctive. Plants in winter dormancy and those grown in conditions of low light may lose some of the red pigmentation (as do most other carnivorous plants), but still retain appreciably more red pigment than typical [Dionaea muscipula {Soland. ex Ellis}]."
Propagation: Vegetative reproduction
Etymology: From the red coloration of the plants
Background: Dionaea muscipula 'Royal Red' has quite a history. It is the first registered Venus Fly Trap cultivar and it is the only Dionaea to have ever been granted patent rights. Two all red Dionaea were germinated in G. & G. Carnivors lab that used to be G.R. Carnivors before Geoffrey Mansell became a partner. One of these seedlings was to become Dionaea 'Royal Red.' Geoffrey Mansell and his wife now operate Exotica Plants which primarily specializes in Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plants). There is a lot of history regarding Geoff's application for a patent on the all red, or all red petioled Venus Fly Trap. Of course, many growers did not want the patent granted and there was a huge scare that the patent would grant rights to all red Dionaea, including those currently owned by collectors and even those growing in the wild!
Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) became a hot topic on the 1994 CP Mailing list. If you read through that mailing list, you will find several discussions about PVRs and the all red petioled VFT. One particular mail to note is a copy of the Official Objection Letter filed with the Australian Plant Variety Rights Office. In the end, the patent was granted, but it seems like the patent really didn't have an affect on the distribution or growing of all red Venus Fly Trap varieties because there have been many other all red forms of Venus Fly Traps cultivated and registered since 1994. It is speculated that 'Royal Red' might be a descendant of Dionaea 'Holland Red', but I could not verify this.
Photo Gallery: Dionaea 'Royal Red' Photo Gallery
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 June 2008 13:16 |
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