Further Observations on Chloranthy in Drosera intermedia

Abstract

NAUDIN (I5) was among the first to record a new method of propagation other than by seed for the genus Drosera. He described the appearance of buds of two young plants on the dorsal surface of a mature leaf of Drosera intermedia. These buds appeared between the midvein and the margins of the leaf. KIRSCHLEGER (8) made similar observations in the case of D. capensis. He noted buds arising from the epidermal cells at the apex or near the base of the leaf, or on the petiole itself. This species was later studied by WINKLER (i9), who confirmed the observations of KIRSCHLEGER. NITSCHKE (14) described vegetative budding for D. rotundifolia from material collected in the field. The buds are described as appearing on the dorsal surface of the leaf, and were most commonly found in the early fall. Others have confirmed and extended the observations of NITSCHKE and the earlier data to which I have referred. GROUT (7) ascribes the appearance of these buds to excessive moisture conditions. GRAVES (6) in i896 collected and placed plants of D. rotundifolia in an artificial bog. He found that a number of small plants appeared on the upper surface of old leaves, and in some cases these plants appeared from the ventral surface and edges of the leaf as in Bryophyllum. LEAVITT (9, I2) was able to propagate D. filiformis, D. binata, and D. dichotoma from cut leaves. He noticed that after placing leaves of the species named in sphagnum for a period of about 3 weeks new plants appeared from adventitious buds, which finally grew to maturity. He likewise observed that leaves, first formed from such buds in plants of D. binata, were orbicular like those of D. rotundifolia; while leaves coming from buds on D. filiformis were like those of D. intermedia. These observations, together with other studies on reversion (LEAVITT io), led him to