'Auntie Margaret Queries'

Pitcairnia micotrinensis / Pitcairnia xanthocalyx

Margaret Butcher

In September 1994 Pitcairnia micotrinensis was on offer and all was excitement in Adelaide because here was a plant we had not seen before. Keith Bradtberg handed around a few of his seedlings. We even had a quiz at one of our Society meetings where members were asked "Just where is Micotra?" Nobody knew but we did know it was in the Lesser Antilles - somewhere. So it must be a rare plant.

November 1998 we had the first plant to flower BUT it bore no relationship to the description in Flora Neotropica page 337 or the drawing on page 339. All the leaves were the same and not two different sorts, the inflorescence seemed wrong and the only common factor seemed to be the yellow petals. We did some checking and found Pitcairnia xanthocalyx, a quite common species in Australian collections, and which originates in the Mexican mainland. A let-down, to say the least so if you grew this seed please change the name. If anyone wishes to dispute our identification the following pictures should help you decide.

Auntie Margaret

Pitcairnia xanthocalyx

Pitcairnia xanthocalyx
flower

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9/1/00
From Nancy G.L. Osler
Dear Margaret,
I hope this email reaches you. I am a graduate student at Trent University, Canada. I just came back from a research trip in Dominica, W.I., where Pitcairnia miconitrensis is endemic. I am trying to grow the seeds in our greenhouse for metal tolerance analysis but having no luck. Any suggestions to ensure germination? I would appreciate your help very much!
Thank you.
Nancy Osler
Auntie Margaret responds:
Nancy
At least you seem to have the right named seed where our complaint was that ours were misidentified.I will not be much help to you because we cannot grow Pitcairnia well in Adelaide because of our climate. They have more success in Queensland. But even they would have difficulty with "Island" plants because of fluctuating temperatures. I do know that P. micotrinensis grows well outside in Boca Raton in Florida but do not know anyone who is an expert at growing from seed. I have grown thousands of Bromeliad seeds over the years and always come back to growing them on sphagnum moss in a plastic bag. The guessing game revolves around viability which you cannot find out until you start using moisture! While 'wild' collected seed generally germinates well there are times when conditions are not right in the wild and false pregnancy occurs!! Keep at it even though it may mean sending someone out on another expedition!
Auntie Margaret
A response from Nancy
Hello Auntie Margaret,
Thanks so much for your prompt reply. I'll get some sphagnum. at this time, I have been using peat moss. I'll aslo try filter paper in a petrie dish and see what happens. It is a majestic plant but claims very fussy growing conditions. It grows only at the top of Morne Micotrine in an area called the Valley of Desolation, so named for it's bleak topography. The area is filled with volcanic sulphur fumaroles and the worlds largest boiling lake. The P. miconitrensis grows only there in a hyper-dispersed distribution and in great abundance as the dominant vegetation. Still hoping for the second expedition!
Nancy
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Photo Credits:
Pitcairnia xanthocalyx - Derek Butcher
Pitcairnia xanthocalyx flower - Derek Butcher

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