Pinguicula filifolia

Pinguicula filifolia

TAXONOMY:

Family : Lentibulariaceae

Genus : Pinguicula

Name : Pinguicula filifolia

Sub-classification (Casper) : link

Publication : By Wright ex Griseb., in Cat.Pl.Cub.:162 (1866)

DESCRIPTION : (In Casper)

Perennis. Rhizoma simplex breve radicibus adventitiis filiformibus numerosis. Folia numerosa (7 - 20) erecta integerrima basi lanceolata +/- 3 mm lata apicem versus filiformiter angustata apice obtusiuscula (62) 80 - 150 (200) mm longa 0.25 - 1 mm lata margine basi vix apicem versus valde revoluta apice spiraliter involuta superne glandulis stipitatis disperse et glandulis sessilibus modice dense vestita. Hibernacula nulla. Pedicelli (1) 2 - 3 (6) erecta glabriusculi apicem versus modice dense glandulis stipitatis obtecti (90) 120 - 190 (230) mm alti uniflori. Flores mediocres (12) 14 - 16 (18) mm longi (calcari incluso). Calyx bilabiatus extus glandulis stipitatis singularibus obtectus viridis; labium superum usque ad basin fere trilobum lobis obovato-oblongis vel lineari-oblongis rotundatis vel truncatis vel raro subemarginatis; labium inferum usque ad 1/2 - 1/4 longitudinis bilobum lobis oblongis rotundatis vel truncatis vel raro subemarginatis. Corolla subisoloba albida vel rosea vel caerulea vel purpurea vel pallide-lilacina extus glandulis stipitatis singularibus obsita lobis subaequalibus late obovatis 4 - 6 mm longis basi pilis longis clavate capitatis. Tubus subcylindricus basin versus angustatus latere ventrali parum geniculiformiter incurvatus lutescens corollae lobis fere duplo longior (5) 6 - 7 (9) mm longus (2) 3 - 4 mm latus sine palato intus pilosus pilis clavate capitatis et pilis brevibus clavatis globose capitatis. Calcar subcylindricum breve apicem versus crassius obtusum vel rotundatum luteum (2) 3 - 4 (5) mm longum +/- 1 mm crassum cum tubo angulum obliquum +/- distincte formans. stamina +/- 2 mm longa; pollen (3) 4 - 5 colporatum. Ovarium subglobosum +/- 1 mm diametro glandulis stipitatis disperse obsitum. Stigma bilabiatum; labium inferum maximum flabelliforme inferne pilosum. Capsula globosa +/- 3 mm diametro calycem duplum superans. Semina scobiformia numerosa +/- 0. mm longa +/- 0.2 mm lata reticulata.

Chromosata ignota.

Translation :

- soon -

ORIGIN AND HISTORY :

- soon -

Map / LOCALISATION :

P. filifolia can be found in the western part of Cuba. The following locations are mentioned in Casper.

PINAR DEL RIO : Candelaria, San Luis, Laguna de la Maquina

ISLA DE PINOS : Nueva Gerona, Los Indios, Rio de los Indios, Santa Barbara, Siguanea region, Between Mina de Oro and Playa del Soldado, along road to San Francisco de las Piedras.

(click on the map for better location and relief map)

HABITAT:

P. filifolia is a tropical homophyllous species, growing in an habitat which is called "sabanas arenosas" (white sand savannah) in the western part of Cuba. This habitat is caracterized by a wet soil, while the surface consists of pure white sand, the lower soil layers are of organic origin.

Introduction in culture :

Two clones seems to exist in culture : one with white flower and the other with violet flower.

CULTURE AND MULTIPLICATION :

The following remarks are done according to my own experience and some friends notes also (mainly from Paul Temple and Laurent Legendre). Pinguicula filifolia is not a hard plant to grow but a hard plant to keep alive during coldest temperatures.
I had the chance to have access in the past to unlimited quantities of P. filifolia from In-vitro(not now) and tried differents medias and way of growing.
P. filifolia can grow on mostly sandy substrate, usual carnivorous peat media, pure laterite, live sphagnum, calcareous media, vermiculite/perlite mix and my usual mexican mix. There is not really difference, all work. THe spagnum moss is the hardest as you have to keep your sphagnum alive. Temperature is one of the most important parameter as it can kill your plant. I have lost all my P. filifolia each time during winter despite using heaters or cable-heater (for snake). I went to the conclusion that a temperature under 20 is dangerous and a minimum temperature of 15°C will kill your plant in few weeks. receiving P. filifolia in february is far from being a good thing. Humidity is also an important parameter if you want to have healthy leaves as the leaves are fragile to dryness 70 or more is perfect.

Watering the plant is also important. My friend that did in-vitro noted that the roots of P. filifolia produced poison (toxics ?) that will lead to the poisonning of the plants. In in-vitro, the first media is a clear colour and then turn in few weeks yellow, then orange and finally brown and 4 months and the plants die then. You must change your in-vitro media before brown. It is amazing to note that the plants are divided faster as the colour is changing to brown. An survival instinct ?. Is it the same in our growing media ? I don't know but I overwater the plants each month and the rest of the time by under. Producing seeds is something I have never succeed yet : We note that the flowers need to be in a drier area than the leaves to have a live production of pollen and a production of seeds. This is not easy to do as if you grow your plant in a aquarium closed for having a good humidity (100%). The flowers will not produce seeds despite dozen of flowers and tries to pollinate. This is explain as follow in habitat : the plants are surrounded by grasses so the leaves are in a good humidity area protected by the sun. THe flowers are up the grasses and the sun will give a drier area that allow succeeded pollinisation
I grow my plant in my green house as soon as the temperature are over 20°C (May or later for exemple) until september. The rest of the time, it is inside my house in a aquarium closed. If you want to have seeds in an aquarium, the method is the following : buy a high aquarium (40 cm or 50 cm is perfect), the light (light tube type biolux or white) must be over the aquarium without glass between the tube and the top of the aquarium. Then the tube must be covered by a cover that cover all the aquarium. The water level must be 3 cm but the bottom of the pot must not stay in this level. Use something to elevate a little for having only 1/2 cm of the bottom of the pot wet. The humidity will be high and the flowers will be nearly touching the tube where the humidity is less abundant and you could produce seeds.

PICTURES: (click to enlarge)

Cluster of Pinguicula filifolia in culture.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Cluster of Pinguicula filifolia flowering in culture.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Cluster of Pinguicula filifolia in culture.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Cluster of Pinguicula filifolia.

Photo : Hervé Huet

- February 2003 -

Close-up of the violet flower of Pinguicula filifolia.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Close-up of the violet flower of Pinguicula filifolia.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Violet flowers of Pinguicula filifolia in culture.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Violet flowers of Pinguicula filifolia in culture.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Close-up of the violet flower of Pinguicula filifolia.

Photo : Hervé Huet

- February 2003 -

Close-up of the clone of Pinguicula filifolia with white flower.

Photo : Jan Flisek

www.Bestcarnivorousplants.com

Below :

Pictures of Pinguicula filifolia in habitat in Cuba from Isla de la Juventud.

All pictures by Yoannis Dominguez Rodriguez