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Post by Robert on Aug 28, 2007 8:27:57 GMT 8
Recently I explored an area where it was hardly visited except by hunters and farmers foraging for wild ferns and wild vegetables. It was a normal heath forest with the common lowlanders- ampullaria, mirabilis, gracilis , rafflesiana, and hybrids. Observing every single neps that I came across hoping to find an interesting clone. Wandering further ampullaria dominate the landscape. I was amazed at by the ampullaria here . They are huge!. What intrigued me most were their size and colours. a young amp.with huge rosette pitchers   more ground basal and aerial basal  It seem that the colour in most of the form here are unstable ie in one rosette an all green one among he red lips.  within the same rosette their colours and pitchers size are not uniform. Does this mean the pitchers are individualistic in their hunting skill?  light brown lip,green one and dark red on this rosette  3 all green pitchers among the red lips  a light brown among the maroon lip (upper right and some have very faint light brown lips)  as usual huge pitchers  This was by far the biggest and most spectacular ampullaria with dark red peristome. Beating the all green one i saw from kuching. the size-peristome width 3⅛", across 1 7/8" and height 5 1/8". It can contained a whooping 600ml of water  .    Finally a bizarre plant behaviour-ginger plant growing on ampullaria.  an ampullaria with 2 lids. was it deformed?  any idea of the unequal pitcher size, and different colour of pitchers within the same rosette? |
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Post by David on Aug 28, 2007 9:21:22 GMT 8
My goodness Robert! So HUGE!!!
This is indeed something new Robert. Funny that they have a few variation of pitchers from the same plant.
Do you think the variations can be caused by different light, water and humidity levels during the development of the pitchers causing them to look differently one from another? Perhaps it could be the media on which it grows. I am no expert, so this is the only explaination that I could think of. If this is so, then when we find out what these factors are, we can grow our plants consistently beautiful and healthy.
The only other thing that is runing through my mind is somebody has dumped toxic waste under the ground and the radiation has transformed the plants into "teenage mutant ninja turtles", I mean mutants... Just kidding around.
Wonder what is it in the wild that helps the plant to grow so big and robust? How come it does not happen in cultivation?
Hmm, thinking about it, I just remembered TS had a pot of ampullaria that has also variations on different picthers. But we were not sure if they were from the same plant as it was a clump. However, these pictures shows clearly that they are from one plant.
Robert, is that the only picther with double lid or all the other pitchers on the same plant is also like this? I'm believing more and more that these are mutant plants, haa, haa...
Hey, maybe it is a form with different variation picthers? That would be unique.
The picture with red lip pitchers and three green pitchers... Looks like the one of the green pitchers have double lid too. Is that correct Robert?
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Post by isaacgoh on Aug 28, 2007 9:34:27 GMT 8
These amps are on steroid? ;D
The red lips and maroon ones are very cute!
Cheers,
Isaac
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jeff1u
Junior Member
Posts: 61
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Post by jeff1u on Aug 28, 2007 9:38:57 GMT 8
 OH MY GOD!! It must be a SUper tall climbing ampullaria! IT IS HUGH!!! I wonder hope to make Ampullaria basal like this... 
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Post by fishingman on Aug 28, 2007 10:09:14 GMT 8
Mak Datuk! Dem big man! I want one!!!!!
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Post by cindy on Aug 28, 2007 11:25:15 GMT 8
Robert shall correct me if I am wrong...the amp pitchers are large because the plants are very old. If we are patient enough to keep our plants for a good 5-10 years in forest conditions year round, the pitchers will also be big.  |
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Post by tarence on Aug 28, 2007 11:30:10 GMT 8
I used to see amps in the jungle area too but i`ve never seen any this huge...perhaps 75% of the size....but well, the secondary jungle i see it at could have younger plants.
Robert : your say plse....
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Post by David on Aug 28, 2007 11:32:14 GMT 8
Hi Cindy. How about the different colours of pictchers on the same plant? What do you think makes it that way? Or is it normal for it to grow like that after 5-10 years.
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Post by cindy on Aug 28, 2007 11:45:59 GMT 8
The development of colour could be due to weather/light/humidity conditions or presence/absence of certain mineral, I think. I have seen all green amp pitchers at the top, only to find beige bodied, red lipped ones under the same pile of leaf litter. All from the same growing point. But given my VERY limited field experience...back to Robert....
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Post by zakhren on Aug 28, 2007 18:35:20 GMT 8
Get the soil and water in that area tested. It could contain something that helps the plants. If it isn't conditions it could be a new type of amps haha. Ampullaria "Giant"  Whatever it is make sure they are not taken or harvested! These are a wonder of nature and deserve to stay where they are! The ginger growing on the amp is interesting haha. I wonder how that happened~ |
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Post by cindy on Aug 28, 2007 22:18:00 GMT 8
Ginger seed lands inside the amp pitcher...germinates...tadah! Ginger-in-amp! |
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Post by Robert on Aug 28, 2007 22:30:41 GMT 8
David,i'm sure it's not the media as there are many other older amp. though they have large vine and many rosette their pitchers are only less than half the size of the "giants". on the green pitcher they are overlapping. There is one behind and another infront. Only one of the spotted amp. had a double lid. Cindy, their age maybe a reason but it's doubtful a good indication. There are many old plant around bearing normal colour-all green and spotted form but no big pitchers. The "giant" pitchers are still tender,fresh and living but visibly looked old by the mud and dirt on their bodies. Zak, if there are low cost test meter i won't mind getting one for the field trip. I only carry litmus paper but i didn't bring with me this time  |
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Post by cactustts on Aug 28, 2007 22:33:43 GMT 8
Wow, those are huge!!! Hope to have one!
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OH MY GOD!! It must be a SUper tall climbing ampullaria!
Whatever it is make sure they are not taken or harvested! These are a wonder of nature and deserve to stay where they are!