by Vahris on Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:01 pm
Fairy Mail to Greywind from, SE worker, Vahris ~Subject, cross pollination of a Vine Pitcher Plant and the belladona.~ Report as promised.
Neph`serium or vine pitcher
The lower pitchers make this stunning hybrid a favorite for rooftop displays. Though it prefers warm to hot conditions, it is not too picky and considered one of the easier Nephs to grow. The upper pitchers are also showy, but smaller and more pale in color.
A very beautiful hybrid with purple-red stripes on a wide peristome (lip). The pitchers are green with variable red dusting on the upper half; these are mostly squat-cylindrical and average about 5-6 inches tall on established plants. This dazzling hybrid is a medium sized grower that prefers warmer temperatures.
lower pitchers are often more rotund and arise from stems closer to the ground, upper pitchers are often more slender, small and arise from climbing stems which are farther from the roots. Upper pitchers usually have a tendril that wraps around branches, etc. before forming the pitcher; this is one way Nepenthes can climb into/above surrounding vegetation. They can be grown in a greenhouse, sun room, partly sunny window, or under lights.
Cross-pollination, also called allogamy occurs when pollen is delivered to a flower from a different plant. Plants adapted to outcross or cross-pollinate often have taller stamens than carpels or use other mechanisms to better ensure the spread of pollen to other plants' flowers.
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilization and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains, which contain the male gametes (sperm) to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel, in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself. The receptive part of the carpel is called a stigma in the flowers of angiosperms. The receptive part of the gymnosperm ovule is called the micropyle. Pollination is a necessary step in the reproduction of flowering plants, resulting in the production of offspring that are genetically diverse.
The study of pollination brings together many disciplines. The pollination process as an interaction between flower and vector. It is important in horticulture and agriculture, because fruiting is dependent on fertilizations, which is the end result of pollination.
Belladona plant
atropa belladonna or Atropa bella-donna, commonly known as Belladonna, Devil's Berries, Death Cherries or Deadly Nightshade, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Solanaceae. The foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing tropane alkaloids. These toxins include scopolamine and hyoscyamine which cause a bizarre delirium and hallucinations..
Findings:
Though I’ve been successful in cross pollinating both plants, as the pitcher plant itself yields a sticky substance upon the ‘lip’ of their plant/flower and the belladonna yields a berry which when crushed and juiced and often can be dried for a pasty to ash like substance, has become more sticky in the process on the new hybrid of the pitcher and belladonna plant. While the plants at the different localities showed a parallel relationship toward each other, there was considerable difference in the general quantity of alkaloids produced. Two pickings were made at fairly corresponding stages of growth plants yielded more alkaloids. The yield was still greater than expected. Nothing definite developed to indicate that a relationship exists between the amount of precipitation and sunshine and the percentage of alkaloids produced.
It has now become a sticky substances which can be harvested with careful tools of wood or steel, I much prefer a steel like small dagger to scrape it free from the lip of the plant itself, is sweet to scent and taste, it looks relatively like honey but doesn’t produce a higher yield as I had hoped. While the ‘honey’ like sap, in which I shall term the new plant as becoming as they are still young and harvesting won’t be for another few months, slides from the lip down into the plant. It is harder to get at, meaning if one scrapes to far into the pitcher plant itself, which seems to have become small and more vibrant a rusty to purplish flower looking funnel plant, it seems to damage the plant itself.
So we need to harvest this sticky substance or honey like substance closer to the lip of the outside.
Effective results:
I have ten plants, some growing faster than others, using flies and other beetle bugs for testing on this new ‘sap’ seems 46% less affective than the belladonna poison. The affects are slower acting in some cases and I predict it would take four drops x5 depending on race, to have an affect note worthy. However, while the affect is less aggressive, its also longer lasting as shown in subject C12 of a large winged beetle which was caught inside the plant and struggled for hours before finally succumbing to the poison that turned it an ugly ashen grey in coloration and produced at final results a stiffness to limbs.
I’ve also noted a secondary affect. The honey sap is more substantially sticky than the other and while I’ve not tested it fully, I wonder if this new poison could be ingested from bread, food, anything one would think to ‘spread’ honey upon, that perhaps the tongue would ‘stick’ to ones mouth. Not for any long length of time, perhaps five minutes, perhaps only 3. Unclear how well this would work in the field testing as I’ve yet found a test subject of any race, probably because the growing of the plants has been in secret until this point that I’ve given my report.
Thoughts:
I’ve studied both plants for some time and only since being hired within the Silent Embrace could I put words to practice. Further analyzing is needed, the plants are not of mature basics yet to do a full scale testing but their rapid growth is pleasing. The plants are in the back room secured from prying eyes as you may have noticed the many pots I had with dirt that I dug from close by a farms richer soils to achieve a better yield and feeding to roots. I am surprised and yet pleased at the results thus far.. If it pleases the Manager, I can continue my testing’s, if not, the plants should be destroyed so no other dabbles into the work of an Silent Embrace Employee.
It is my hope that this, study and work will yield results over the next few months. However, as time allots and any needed advice thoughts on said work, begets further or more salable results, I'd like a chance to name this new hybrid and said poison it produces.
~Vahris~
That sir, is highly illogical.
Thank you very much!)
