FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Is it possible for heterophylla x self to produce red offspring, or did some stray purp seeds get dropped in the pot?

If it was truly anthocyanin free then I believe that it doesn't carry the gene for red pigmentation. It sounds like there was a visit from the milkman.

DOH!

The parent plant carries the anthocyanin gene even though it doesn't express it. When you self-pollinate the flower, some of the resulting seedlings will express the gene, and some of them won't.

It's like the self-pollinated Drosera 'Dreamsicle' seedlings that Panman and I have. Some of them look like their parent, but a few look like one of their grandparents: anthocyanin-free Drosera tracyi (green leaves and white flowers).

MikeB wrote:The parent plant carries the anthocyanin gene even though it doesn't express it. When you self-pollinate the flower, some of the resulting seedlings will express the gene, and some of them won't.

Yeah I was thinking that the plant could be carrying a recessive anthocyanin gene or something. Selfing can bring that forward.

I stand corrected. Thanks!

(but I still prefer the milkman theory)

Elaineo, I think you have been touched by the Milkman Effect.

https://cpn.carnivorousplants.org/artic ... p51_64.pdf

1cashew wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:02 pm Elaineo, I think you have been touched by the Milkman Effect.

That's an interesting article. So apparently purps don't play by the genetics rules. Dang milkman.

Ah, thanks for the good info everyone! I'm surprised that the ones with anthocyanin are growing so much faster than the ones without.

elaineo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 7:50 pm Ah, thanks for the good info everyone! I'm surprised that the ones with anthocyanin are growing so much faster than the ones without.

Funny that you mention that. All of my alba capes did well this summer but the red and typicals all fried back to almost nothing. I would have expected the opposite. Weird.

elaineo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 7:50 pm Ah, thanks for the good info everyone! I'm surprised that the ones with anthocyanin are growing so much faster than the ones without.

The lack of anthocyanin has a noticeable negative impact on a purp's growth. I have one f. heterophylla plant, and it's smaller and slower growing than my regular purps.

One question about that selfed flower: did you bag it? If not, the native bees probably did a little cross-pollination when you weren't looking (they sure do that around here).

MikeB wrote: One question about that selfed flower: did you bag it? If not, the native bees probably did a little cross-pollination when you weren't looking (they sure do that around here).

I actually got the seeds from Sprouse. I assume he did, since he probably wants to keep his more valuable plants unsullied...

elaineo wrote: ↑Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:47 am I actually got the seeds from Sprouse. I assume he did, since he probably wants to keep his more valuable plants unsullied...

Sprouse has to bag the flowers, considering his massive Sarracenia collection. God only knows what kind of hybrids he'd get if he didn't. I've bought some nice plants from him. He lives about 130 miles west of me (closer to the mountains; I'm almost in the sandhills).