The Carnivorous Plant FAQ Field Trip Report -

A Shadow over North Carolina

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Tricksy pitchers:
You know, if someone showed me this plant in their collection, and asked me what I thought it was, I think I would be baffled. The leaf venation reminds me of Sarracenia alabamensis subsp. alabamensis, but the broad pitcher opening looks more like Sarracenia flava. If I were being careless, I might think that the arched lid suggested some S. minor introgression, too. (I'm hesitant to guess S. oreophila as being a parent of cultivated plants since most growers do not have it.) I'm not sure what I would guess--maybe S. alabamensis subsp. alabamensis × oreophila, but I don't know. My point is simply that it is dangerous to try to identify some plants in cultivation. Even pure species can be confusing, especially if you don't know if they are pure or hybrids.

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Revised: October 2007
©Barry Rice, 2005