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Dewy Nepenthes?

daveyjones
16 years ago

Hi again. This one might be a little out of the normal for you guys. And exciting nonetheless. If you have read my other posts, you know I somewhat recently bought a Nepenthes x Velvet from Cobra Plant. It only has upper pitchers so far, but has turned out to be a really cool plant. Anyways, I will show pictures first, descriptions of pictures will be below. (Click the thumbs for more detailed picture)

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Exhibit A: Tiny brown spots on leaves which have been there since purchase. Don't seem to be causing any problems, are not getting bigger.

Exhibit B: Upper Pitcher. Where the spots where can clearly be seen what seems to be spots of dew/nectar.

Exhibit C: Another angle. Note nectar on lid (looks cool) and brown spots on leaves in background.

Exhibit D: Different angle with dew drops visible.

Has anybody ever seen anything like this at all? This particular pitcher has just fully developed, and is now filling with liquid. The other pitcher is in a very similar condition, only it is slightly damaged from shipping. The plant is growing fine, this just seems to be an interesting situation. Also a note that several of the brown spots on leaves are dewy as such, just not nearly as much as on vines/pitchers. As always, ideas, suggestions? Should I be worried? Mold, virus, bacteria? I have no idea. Thanks for reading!

Comments (7)

  • carnivorousplants
    16 years ago

    Hi daveyjones,
    your nepenthes looks awsome!!!!!!
    I know that the "dew" produced at the opening of the pitcher is just nectar,
    which means your plant is happy in it's new enviroment.Your're so lucky that
    the pitchers on your plant did'nt die.Typically the pitcher would die from shock.
    Is your plant in high humidity?If so then it could be condensation.Rarley, it is
    extra nectar glands located on the plant.To check, try a drop of it.If it is sweet
    or sticky then it must be nectar.If not, then it is certainly condensation and
    it is a good thing, not a problem.
    Good luck,
    Adrian

  • daveyjones
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    It is definitely not just condensation, it is very sticky, and yes, I have already tasted it. I really wonder why its doing that though. On a side note, I just ordered a N. Spectabilis from Black Jungle. (I've never bought from them, but they had the plant I wanted for the best price) I hope it does as well. I have a tiny N. Ventricosa that is really starting to take off too. I haven't actually measured the humidity here, but I would say its average.

  • ilbasso_74
    16 years ago

    I've wondered why some of my bicalcaratas have drops on the tendrils nowhere near the pitchers. I assume condensation for mine, but it only seems to happen on the bicalcs.

  • mutant_hybrid
    16 years ago

    Hello all,

    Nectar glands on pitchers, leaves and tendrils are normal for many species of Nepenthes. Flying insects will smell the nectar on the pitchers, however; crawling insects need a trail to help them figure out where the deathtrap is. The nectar drops on the leaves and tendrils draw ants and beetles from the ground to climb the plant and fall into the pitchers eventually.

    In any event, this is normal. Likely a throwback from the sundews since Nepenthes and Venus Flytraps are both rather more closely related to sundews than other carnivorous plants, like Sarracenias.

  • carnivorousplants
    16 years ago

    I thought it was rare since no nepenthes I ever had
    produced nectar other than at the opening of the pitcher.
    However, my sarracenias produce a lot of nectar on the
    wing of the pitcher and at the opening.
    - Adrian

  • hunterkiller03
    16 years ago

    Hi daveyjones,

    Mutant_hybrid is right, Nepenthes produce lots of nectar as lures to attract insects and I second mutant that THIS IS very normal for the pitchers, so donÂt worry about it. And in a way, it is a very good sign that your plants are happy.

    I have two nepenthes growing indoors, one is my N. truncata higland ÂPasian and the other is a Nep I saved from LoweÂs, possibly a xÂventrata or ventricosa. Both plant prudce nectar underneath their lids and the rims of their peristomes.

    The first two pics are the unidentified Nep from LoweÂs. As you can see, it makes so much of the nectar lure that it drips from its sides. IÂll identify later when it grows some more.
    {{gwi:551165}}
    {{gwi:567034}}

    But the next pictures is the N. truncata. This plant is literally dripping with nectar all over, not only is the bottom of the lid and the peristome secreting globs of nectar, even the sides of the pitcher is covered with glands secreting nectar. As you cans see, I can get globs from the lid and it taste something between chocolate and honey.
    {{gwi:567035}}
    {{gwi:567036}}
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    {{gwi:567039}}
    {{gwi:567040}}

    So donÂt sweat it and happy growing!

    [ P.S. sorry if the pics looks cluttered, I've barely moved and still have a lot to put everything in its place. ;-) ]

  • daveyjones
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Really nice plants by the way. Also, your un-identified one looks exactly like a small N. Ventricosa I recently bought from Sarracenia Northwest, and I mean to a T.

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