Pinguicula elongata

Pinguicula elongata

TAXONOMY:

Family : Lentibulariaceae

Genus : Pinguicula

Name : Pinguicula elongata

Sub-classification (Casper) : link

Publication : Benjamin in Linnaea 20 (1847) 318

DESCRIPTION : (by Benjamin in publication)

Perennis. Rhizoma simplex breve radicibus adventitiis funiformibus numerosis. Folia (3) 5 - 8 (12) radicalia rosulata biformia integerrima; inferiora pauca late ovata vel obovata vel obovato-oblonga obtusa vel acutiuscula basi margine pilis longis villosa amplectantia fusco-virentia 6 - 12 mm longa 5 - 9 mm lata; superiora erecta solum non adpressa lineari-lanceolata longe acuminata margine revoluta superne glandulis stipitatis modice dense vestita basi margine pilis longis ciliata virentia (70) 105 - 150 (180) mm longa (3) 5 - 10 (30) mm lata (in parte media margine revoluto excluso). Hibernacula nulla. Pedicelli 1 - 3 (6) erecti glandulis stipitatis disperse obsiti (90) 140 - 200 (238) mm alti folia superantes uniflora. Flores mediocres (12) 15 - 20 (23) mm longi (calcari incluso). Calyx bilabiatus extus glandulis stipitatis singularibus obsitus viridis vel pallide viridis; labium superum profunde trilobum lobis triangulo-lanceolatis vel oblongo-lanceolatis acutis +/- 2 - 4 (5) mm longis; labium inferum usque ad dimidium bilobum lobis triangulo-lanceolatis acutis +/- 2 - 3 (6) mm longis. Corolla bilabiata violacea venis caeruleis extus glandulis stipitatis disperse obsita; labium superum bilobum lobis late ovatis vel obovatis obtusis vel subrotundatis multo longioribus quam latis; labium inferum paulo longius trilobum lobis oblongo-ovatis vel obovatis obtusis vel rotundatis multo longioribus quam latis 8 - 13 mm longis. Tubus late conicus +/- 1/2 longitudinis corollae 6 - 9 mm longus 3 - 7 mm latus intus pilosus pilis cylindricis acutiusculis retroconversis in lineis triabus ordinatis cum palato. Palatum quasi vestigium equi subemarginatum (2) 3 - 4 (6) mm longum 2 - 3 (5) mm latum pilis clavatis uvae similis capitatis. Calcar breve crassum late conicum obtusum vel saccatum pallide-viride (1) 2 - 3 (4) mm longum 1 - 2 mm latum cum tubo angulum obliquum subdistinctum formans. Stamina +/- 3 mm longa; pollen (5) 6 - 7 (8) - colporatum . Ovarium ovoideum. Stigma bilabiatum labio infero margine fimbriato. Capsula ovoidea 5 - 7 mm longa 3 - 3.5 mm lata calycem multum superans. Semina scobiformia numerosa fusiformia 0.8 - 1 mm longa 0.2 - 0.27 mm lata alveolata.

Chromosomata ignota.

translation :

- Soon -

ORIGIN AND HISTORY :

No data.

Localisation / Map:

- soon -

HABITAT:

It is at the top of a mountain, at an altitude of 3200 meters over sea level and there are strong winds all day, the temperatures usually drop to near 0°C all nights, all year. This habitat is what is called a 'Paramo' and only small plants and grasses can grow there. Many pictures in habitat can be found below.

TEMPERATURE and PRECIPITATIONS :

In an email, some temperatures of 2 to 10°C were mentioned. Is it all the year or for the resting season for exemple ?

According to the reddish colour of the leaves and the clear habitat in the pictures below, the plants should have a good amount of light and maybe direct sun.

I have no data up to now and hope to give you more informations soon (E.Partrat).

Introduction in culture :

Some seeds have been distributed worldwide in January 2003 to various Pinguicula growers worldwide.

Even if this species have been introduced recently in culture in Europe in in-vitro conditions and then can be found in very few cp nurseries, long-term growth of this species in ex-vitro conditions is not accomplished. Some amateurs are also trying growing it from fresh seeds collected in Colombia that are germinating quite well but long-term success is not yet here (see below).

CULTURE AND MULTIPLICATION : (from the CPUK forum)

An D. Smith (Andy) from Bournemouth, UK, was the first in January 2008 to share his first growing tips on the CPUK forum : “ I have a pot-full of 6 month-old Pinguicula elongata seedlings. They are doing very well, sending out their fourth leaf and are coloured an unusual pinkish brown colour. I have them under lights in a highland greenhouse but am unsure how to grow them in the long-term. “ … “ I understand they are almost alpine in nature and need to be kept cool but how long is their dormancy and how many wet/dry seasons do they experience in the wild. “

An D. Smith sowed his seeds onto a mix of sandy peat and vermiculite. They were kept cool and under lights and readily germinated without any treatment.

Markus Welge, from Germany, gave also some tips about it : “ P. elongata is one of the most tricky species in the genus. Even large and robust plants can die very quickly if you do not give the right conditions to the plants. I would grow the plants in a mix of peat and sand as this is near to the soil in the natural habitat. The growing cycle is similar to the mexican Pinguicula heterophylla as it survives a dry season in an onion like winter bulb. The difference is that P. elongata builds this bulb 2 times a year. I'm not sure if it is possible to simulate this in cultivation. The conditions in the natural habitat are extremly harsh. Large differences between day and night temperatures and strong winds. I think the plants depend on this conditions and react very sensitive to any stagnation in air movement. “

DC from Hobart, Tasmania that was the source of Andy and Markus's P. elongata seeds confirmed that the seeds (and I guess all the seeds worldwide) of this species came from the site described below on this webpage. His experience on seeds germination was also similar : “ I've found that the seed readily germinates on sphagnum, but their long term care is certainly a problem. Of the many seedlings I grew last year, I'm down to just 3 or 4 hardy survivors, currently in their summer hibernation phase. ”

Later, in June 2009, Andy gave some news of his plants : “ I do still have a few plants left and these are currently dormant, resting as tight little buds until the weather cools and I start to water them again.”

Sebastian Vieja, an amateur from Medelin in Colombia, gave some habitat observations : “From my (and friends) habitat‘s observations a drier substrate is what is needed for the resting period. Temperatures are mostly equal all year, but soil moisture is what changes the most between rainy and dry seasons.”

Marc from Binningen, Switzerland, gave his own experience with usefull details : “ I cultivate this plant for half a year or so...Mine is just producing the first elongated leave after the summer resting period ! The dormancy during summer is nearly dry and the other one is during winter when the temperatures are lower.

This is the cultivation I try to follow :

December – March : leaves: small triangular; watering: slightly moist

March - May/June : leaves: elongated (perhaps flower); watering: pot standing in tray with 1cm water

June - August/September : leaves : form a kind of tube or not visible; watering : dry (perhaps spraying from time to time on the surface of the substrat)

September – December : leaves : elongated; pot standing in a tray with 1cm water The water is most important to indicate the change of period ! But the highland temperatures should also be given !! (like N. villosa with 4 different growing periods) -> so really not that easy!!!

Plants are they are in my highland-terrarium :

Summer : 21-26°C (day), 10-16°C (night);

winter : 18-23°C (day), 5-13°C (night)

Lights : 6x24W T5 865/840 (1:1)

Vents : one pc-fan for the air movement (15-30min. on/ 15 min. off)

My substrat is a mix of peat and sand with a bit of vermiculite.

But if you can't cultivate P. medusina (or another one, which builds an onion like bulb) and N. villosa (or N. spec. Doorman's Top 1), I wouldn't buy/try it! (I never had a more difficult plant in my collection!)

It is also not sure if the cultivation mentioned above is really correct! ”

Pinguicula elongata in culture.

Photo : Marc S.

Pinguicula elongata in culture.

Photo : Marc S.

Unfortunately, in November 2009, Andy shared with us a bad news : “I just thought that I would report that ALL of my remaining P. elongata from seed (just over two years old) have all failed and died this autumn. They were all resting nicely as little 'onions' and about a month ago started to grow. I moved them back to their usual position and then watched them all die. “

Markus Welge, from Germany, still have one single plant left from the seedlings Andy sent him some time ago (December 2009).

Marc from Binningen, Switzerland also still grow some plants in december 2009 : “I tried again to feed my plant, but the leave got brown... so very sensitive !!! ”

I will end until more informations are available and could be shared with all of us with rewriting Markus Welge’s note :

“ P. elongata is the most difficult and sensitive plant I ever had in cultivation. This is quite surprising as the conditions in it's natural environment are quite harsh. “

As we all know his skillness in growing difficult Pinguicula, we can be sure that success is not close yet..

Eric Partrat

PICTURES: (click to enlarge)

Pinguicula elongata in habitat by Heberleyn Hernandez
The habitat Pinguicula elongata of in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez	Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez
Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez	Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez
Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez	Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez
Pinguicula elongata in habitat in Colombia Photo : Heberleyn Hernandez	The flower of Pinguicula elongata from Venezuela. Photo : Planthunter (?) This image in its original context, on the page : http://member.nifty.ne.jp/jcpstanabe/ with authorization for use here by Naoki Tanabe.
*The habitat of Pinguicula elongata* revisited by Philippe Courtel (France) All pictures by Philippe Courtel. Many thanks for Heberleyn** for making this again possible.