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Post by flytraper on Mar 28, 2007 21:02:50 GMT
i have heard about flytraps having 2 traps one one leaf, and i was wondering if that mutated leaf might carry a gene causing the second trap. if there is a mutated gene then could you take the leaf and make a leaf cutting or introduce it into tissue culture to create a plant that regularly produces 2 headed traps?
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Clint
Full Member
Posts: 808
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Post by Clint on Mar 28, 2007 21:16:18 GMT
No, it's just a mutated leaf. Just a screw up. It has the same DNA as the rest of the plant.
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Post by Aidan on Mar 28, 2007 21:17:55 GMT
Nice thought, but highly unlikely to be a mutation. The formation of two traps (or more!) on a single leaf is perhaps caused by damage occuring to the actively growing tissue.
Grow enough flytraps and over time you will see all sorts of strange leaves.
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Clint
Full Member
Posts: 808
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Post by Clint on Mar 28, 2007 21:24:06 GMT
Well I was half right lol.
I think a plant like that would be kind of weird.... I mean I wouldn't want one. Blah, ugly.
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Post by flytraper on Mar 28, 2007 21:26:12 GMT
but think of what a plant like that would be worth.
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Post by Aidan on Mar 28, 2007 22:33:48 GMT
Apologies in advance for the size of these images, they are a few years old. Taken in summer '04. This is the widest bifurcation I have seen on a twin-trap leaf. There is some distortion which is at least consistent with the leaf having suffered some damage during growth:  Some time later the same plant threw a more "conventional" twin-trap leaf:  |
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Post by flytraper on Mar 29, 2007 14:34:13 GMT
those are great pics
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Post by stevestewart on Mar 30, 2007 0:14:13 GMT
This image is older than Aidan's. In 2001 the plant (a Dionaea "Green Dragon" from Agri-Starts III) produced a three trapped leaf and a pair of two trap leaves at the same time. none of the leaves produced plants for me.  A quick look at the plant, and you wouldn't notice the odd leaves. The first three upright traps on the left are on a single petiole. One of the two trap leaves is just starting out the front and the other is mature and in the back. Also note the leaves without traps at all. I doubt anyone would want to clone a plant that consistently produced no traps.  Steve |
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Post by Aidan on Mar 30, 2007 1:36:59 GMT
Steve - Lingering effects of the tissue culture process perhaps?
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Post by stevestewart on Mar 30, 2007 10:58:01 GMT
Adian, I don't know for sure, but it is very possible something in the tc process caused the plant to behave this way. I do know for sure that a pressed and dried three headed flytrap leaf doesn't always bring the person owning it good luck, like a four leaf clover is supposed to ! I guess things could be a whole lot worse! I'll keep looking for that four headed flytrap anyway. Steve |
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Post by stevestewart on Apr 13, 2007 16:52:55 GMT
Hello all, I just noticed this Dionaea 'Big Mouth' producing a "Y" form and a three headed leaf (see arrows). This time I know it was from damage to the forming traps. I had a little "mealybug" damage just as the plant started growing.  Take care, Steven Stewart |
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