Spotlight: Pinguicula hirtiflora var. hirtiflora

Pinguicula hirtiflora var. hirtiflora
Credit: David Govatski

A few weeks ago, I started doing more research for my future fieldtrips and contacted David Govatski, who mentioned that while in the Balkins, near Lake Skadar he ran across a colony of Pinguicula on a limestone or dolomite outcropping that was dripping with water. I asked and he graciously allowed me to use his photos on this blog. (It is possible that his photographs document an expansion of territory, based on Pinguicula.org's range map, but I cannot be positive on that count).

The landscape
Credit: David Govatski

The incredibly beautiful and rugged landscape is karst topography, formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Like other mountainous habitats, the rocks around Lake Skadar slowly leach calcium (and other dissolved minerals) which are required by Pinguicula hirtiflora var. hirtiflora.

Pinguicula hirtiflora var. hirtiflora
Credit: David Govatski

Pinguicula hirtiflora is one of two species of Pinguicula in the region, the other being Pinguicula balcanica. According to Pinguicula.org, it grows in a diverse assortment of habitats and can be found in the Roya River Valley of France, southeastern Italy, and from Greece north through Albania/Montenegro. It is not clear in light of recent scientific measurements, however, whether this remains a correct estimation of range. (Pinguicula.org grouped this species under the label "Pingiucula crystallina subsp. hirtiflora" and found it to be present in all these locations. This led Barry Rice to remark recently, that this species was known as Pinguicula crystallina subsp. hirtiflora (Balkins region), Pinguicula louisii (Albania), Pinguicula crystallina (Turkey and Cyprus), and Pinguicula hirtiflora (Italy, Albania, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey)).

More recent study from Albania has revealed the following subdivisions for this species:

• var. hirtiflora – diploid (2n = 16), leaves up to 50 mm long, flower size 20–22 mm; peat bog plant, calcifuge;
• var. louisii – triploid (2n = 24), leaves up to 70 mm long, flower size 20–25 mm; rupicolous and peat bog plant, ± substrate tolerant;
• var. gionae – tetraploid (2n = 32), leaves up to 80 mm, flower size 22–28 mm; rupicolous, calciphil;
• var. megaspilaea – hexaploid (2n = 48), leaves up to 120 mm, flower size 22–28 mm; rupicolous, calciphil.

As of this writing, I do not believe the ICPS has adjusted its definitions to reflect this new nomenclature.

Pinguicula hirtiflora var. hirtiflora
Credit: David Govatski

Although I would highly recommend a review of the scientific literature, which also covers the nomenclature of Pinguicula balcanica, there were a couple interesting facts that I've found out about this species. First, this species does not, unlike many other temperate Pinguicula, form winter buds. Instead, it keeps its carnivorous leaves year round. Second, because of its wide-range, much of the previous scientific literature has not looked at literature on Pinguicula from other regions regarding this species. (Note that in my cited Albanian study, it does not mention the plant being present in France). Further, it can be found in various habitats. In Italy, it grows on soggy vertical limestone in full sun alongside the warm Mediterranean seashore. In Greece, some sites are found 1700 m above sea level and are experience frost and snow each year.

Cultivation-wise, it would appear from the breakdown of varieties that each variety has slightly different media requirements. Pinguicula.org, however, recommends, generally, 2 parts perlite, 2 parts vermiculite, 1 part small aquarium sand, 1 part fine white sand, 1 part pouzzolane (volcanic lava), 2 parts marly calcareous detritus. (I'm not sure what conditions the original plants obtained by the grower were facing, so I'm not sure if that mix would work for every variety).