South Carolina

This rare to uncommon natural hybrid is from the region of the type locality in North Carolina. Sarracenia xswaniana has been documented historically from one additional site in Georgia but disappeared from the location within the last 20 years before a voucher specimen could be deposited.

Sarracenia minor is at the extreme northern extent of its range in this region. Because there are very few known co-occurrences of S minor and S purpurea remaining in all native populations of the southeastern US, observing this hybrid in the wild is quite rare.

Fortunately these few remaining plants are located on private well-managed land under routine surveillance and their survival is relatively assured.

A common lowland Nepenthes of kerangas forest.

This site, one of the more northern sites for Cephalotus, is characterized by an almost complete sand substrate in contrast to the peat bogs observed farther south.

Late summer pitchers (July 2013) following record setting rainfall in region. A rare sight to see persistent pitchers into late July.

A spectacular natural hybrid found in large numbers in deep shade in a streamside setting.

One of the most fascinating Sarracenia sites I have ever seen: a true hybrid swarm. Virtually every manifestation of this hybrid imaginable was observed.

An unusually red form of this subspecies. Please compare to the "normal form" image later in this post.

It is difficult to say if this color variant is simply a variety or possibly the result of introgression with either S leucophylla or S psittacina and then generations of backcrosses. Nevertheless, an impressive variant.

A particularly red variant of this species.

A spectacular natural hybrid found in large numbers in deep shade in a streamside setting.

This location represents just a small fraction of larger populations of this magnificent species in nature. A very easy location to visit and see it all within 5 minutes. Handicapped accessible and very easy to walk.

Also published as Sarracenia rosea.

The all green or 'maxima' variant appears to be the predominant form of this species in the FMNF. The entire populations of several occurrences within the forest were composed of this form.

The all green or 'maxima' variant appears to be the predominant form of this species in the FMNF. The entire populations of several occurrences within the forest were composed of this form.

It is very likely that the deep red colorations of individuals in this population reflect historical hybridization or introgression of Sarracenia rubra wherryi. This suspicion, however, remains uncertain.

These plants represent a huge success story for habitat conservation in the state of Florida. At one time the Tate's Hell Swamp was heading for ecological disaster very similar to what "the grid" of the Green Swamp in North Carolina is facing today.

Unsustainable industrial forestry practices were attempting to drain the swamp and grow trees that could not otherwise survive in the swamp habitat. In the past decade, the state of Florida has purchased the majority of this land and started restoration practices by removing the garbage trees and restring historic hydrology.

I have visited this particular site first back in 2001 at which time there were some truly spectacular hybrids and large populations of S leucophylla. Over the next decade, prior to restoration practices, the diverity at this site was nearly lost due to altered hydrology and the replanting of slash pine.

The site is now restored as a grassland prairie and these images represent the slow recovery of what will likely become a spectacular site in time.

Typical lithophytic growth habit on the side of steep canyons.

I have been fortunate to be able to recheck the private property location periodically over the past 12 years. These are the first photos I have published from this site, but fortunately the best I have been able to take.

This site has been repeatedly sprayed with herbicide (for a variety of industrial reasons) and approximately 7 years ago had been reduced to a single plant that did not regrow normally for 3 years. this is the second year that plants have flowered and set seed in the past 7 years.

Unfortunately two other very rare plants historically occurred and bloom at this site: Lilium pyrophilum and Asclepias rubra. Both species are now extirpated from the site.

Interestingly this population exhibits some growth habits similar to both classic Sarracenia rubra var. rubra and the 'Ancestral variant' that I have previously posted from west central Georgia.

Some very late blooming plants in a shaded protected seep.

At Dauset Trails Nature Center there is a small section in the Children's Garden devoted to insectivorous plants. These Pitcher plants were very colorful, and quite interesting to see.

These plants represent a huge success story for habitat conservation in the state of Florida. At one time the Tate's Hell Swamp was heading for ecological disaster very similar to what "the grid" of the Green Swamp in North Carolina is facing today.

Unsustainable industrial forestry practices were attempting to drain the swamp and grow trees that could not otherwise survive in the swamp habitat. In the past decade, the state of Florida has purchased the majority of this land and started restoration practices by removing the garbage trees and restring historic hydrology.

I have visited this particular site first back in 2001 at which time there were some truly spectacular hybrids and large populations of S leucophylla. Over the next decade, prior to restoration practices, the diverity at this site was nearly lost due to altered hydrology and the replanting of slash pine.

The site is now restored as a grassland prairie and these images represent the slow recovery of what will likely become a spectacular site in time.

Terrestrial growth habit of this species is not typical on other tepuis of occurrence.

The all green or 'maxima' variant appears to be the predominant form of this species in the FMNF. The entire populations of several occurrences within the forest were composed of this form.

A very unusual hybrid which appears to be intermediate to both Sarracenia xswaniana and Sarracenia xharperi both of which were observed in close proximity to this plant. This plant was much larger than either of the two suspected parents.

These six plants are among the most spectacular of the pitcher plants that I observed on this trip. there is tremendous variability in phenotype among the hybrids and probable backcrosses.

Each photo depicts a different plant or clone of which there were many more at this locality.

I have been fortunate to be able to recheck the private property location periodically over the past 12 years. These are the first photos I have published from this site, but fortunately the best I have been able to take.

This site has been repeatedly sprayed with herbicide (for a variety of industrial reasons) and approximately 7 years ago had been reduced to a single plant that did not regrow normally for 3 years. this is the second year that plants have flowered and set seed in the past 7 years.

Unfortunately two other very rare plants historically occurred and bloom at this site: Lilium pyrophilum and Asclepias rubra. Both species are now extirpated from the site.

Interestingly this population exhibits some growth habits similar to both classic Sarracenia rubra var. rubra and the 'Ancestral variant' that I have previously posted from west central Georgia.

These two images represent an interesting expression of this hybrid. Very likely this specimen is S xharperi backcrossed to Sarracenia minor.

It is always fun to revisit a site and try to recreate a previous photo. i last made this panoramic in 2009 at almost the same spot. Fortunately, this site has only improved over the years. Not quite as neat and tidy an image as the 2009 version as the time is a little later in the year. Still a favorite place.

Each of these three consecutive photos were taken within 20 yards of each other and within 15 minutes of each other. Just an example of the diversity of natural beauty available at this site. I was not able to photograph the pygmy rattlesnake that crawled over my boot immediately following the repacking of my camera gear

This single plant represents the newest population of this species in Georgia. This is the only plant at this site. Historic records indicate that S leucophylla was once widespread in this region of Georgia. It is now reduced to less than 10 individual plants at two known localities. Because the plants are located on unmanaged or poorly managed private property, they are critically imperiled. It is possible that the original plants in habitat will be lost.

Conservation efforts at the Atlanta Botanical Garden have helped to increase the numbers of individual plants of these genetics by hundreds over the past few years.