Pinguicula balcanica

(cliquer sur le drapeau pour la version :  )

          go to : Home  index of species           

TAXONOMY:

Family : Lentibulariaceae

Genus : Pinguicula

Name : Pinguicula balcanica

Sub-classification (Casper) : link

Publication : Casper in Repert. Spec. nov. 66 (1962) 105

DESCRIPTION :  (In Casper)

Perennis. rhizoma simplex breve radicibus filiformibus adventitiis numerosis . Folia 5 - 9, biformia radicalia rosulata integerrima margine vix involuta solum adpressa superne glandulis sessilibus stipitatisque dense vestita laete viridia inferiora late-ovata 20 - 30 mm longa, 15 -20 mm lata superiora elliptico-oblonga 20 - 50 mm longa 10 - 20 mm lata. hibernacula. Pedicelli 1 - 5 erecti glandulis stipitatis modice dense obsiti (20) 40 - 80 (100) mm alti uniflori. Flores mediocres (8) 14 -19 (23) mm longi (calcari incluso). Calyx bilabiatus extus glandulis stipitatis obsitus; labium superum trilobum lobis brevibus late ovatis subaeque longis ac latis saepe paene rotundatis rarolongioribus quam latis; labium inferum bilobum lobis brevibus late-ovatis usque ad 1/3 longitudinis divisis non divergentibus. Corolla bilabiata caeruleo-violacea extus glandulis stipitatis obsita; labuim superum bilobum lobis late-ligulatisinter se tegentibus; labium inferum trilobum lobis obovato-oblongis apice rotundatis inter se plus minusvetegntibus lobo intermedio lateralibus maiore basi albido-maculato. Tubus infundibuliformis intus pilosuspilis longis cylindricis capitatis. Calcar cylindricum rectum obtusum breve (2) 3 - 5 (7) mm longum tertiam partem tubi limbique corollae subaequans. Pollen (5) 6 - 7 mm (8) colporatum. Capsula ovoida calycem superans. Semina scobiformia. 

 

Chromosata 2n = 32

 

Translation :

 

- soon - 

ORIGIN AND HISTORY :

Jurg Steiger call it the "eastern complement" to Pinguicula leptoceras. 

Localisation / Map: 

This species can be found in moutains chains of Southeastern Europe : Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria. Jurg Steiger and Jan Schlauer found in 1995, in the Vardoussia Range in Central Greece, what represent up to now, the southernmost site known.

 

See Casper map : (Click on this map for enlargement and localisation of the above depicted habitats)

HABITAT:  

Pinguicula balcanica grows in subalpine and alpine wet place, at altitudes between 1700m to 2400m, on granite or limestone ground. In bogs, on peaty borders of creeks, on wet rocks.

Introduction in culture :

I grow differents clones :

- from french carnivorous plants nursery, Nature et Paysages.

- from Cz carnivorous plants nursery,  bestcarnivorousplants.com.   

- from German nursery Nepenthes of A. Wistuba with white/pinkish flower and other with white flower.

- from Lithoa Mountains, Bulgaria.

CULTURE AND MULTIPLICATION : 

(North hemisphere, France near Paris, in a garden - see the map -)    

Life cycle :  In spring, the cycle begins by the opening of the winter buds and the production of the first carnivorous leaves. The first leaves are followed by the flowers in summer. New carnivorous leaves are produced during all the season. Near autumn, or earlier, if your conditions are not optimal, the next hibernacula is revealed in the centre of the rosette. Then leaf production stops and the old leaves decay slowly. The plant (reduced now to a small hibernacula) is ready for winter and for the next cycle. 

Media: The plants grow in a mix of 1/2 peat and 1/2 non calcareous sand.

Pot : big plastic box outside.

Cultivation :  The long term cultivation of temperate Pinguicula is difficult : If the summer growing conditions are not optimal, the plants will form very weak hibernacula which easily rot. 

Optimal summer growing conditions are : good air humidity, cool temperature and UV lights.

I grow my plants in my garden all the year with full sun all the time.  

 

Multiplication : By seeds spread around the plants. You can use also the numerous gemmae produced around the  winter hibernacula. 

 

 PICTURES: (click to enlarge)

Pinguicula balcanica.   From french carnivorous plants nursery, Nature et Paysages.   Photo : Eric Partrat - June 2001 -	The flower of Pinguicula balcanica.   From french carnivorous plants nursery, Nature et Paysages.   Photo : Eric Partrat - May 2001 -
Pinguicula balcanica f. white/light pink flower.   From A.Wistuba's carnivorous plants nursery.   Photo : Eric Partrat - May 2004 -