N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Hello all, i have returned with a carry-on from my previous thread concerning my ever-strange N. mirabilis var echinostoma. Recently, during very hot weather in my greenhouse (38c, 80% humidity), my plant started producing salty nectar. But now, it is producing a deep red "dye" from it`s newest pitcher only. I noticed this as i was misting my plants today when, what looked like blood, started trickling down the pitcher! On closer inspection i saw that the nectar glands on the outside pitcher wall were producing a thick, almost black-red dye which, when sprayed, diluted and ran down the pitcher. I find this amazing and think that some research should be done on this plant as i don`t know of any Nepenthes that produces such a richly coloured substance. I hesitate to call it nectar as it didn`t have any taste whatsoever, unlike the salty syrupy discharge from the same pitcher`s peristome.

A close-up of the glands before misting:
http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0720.JPG

After misting:
http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0721.JPG

http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0723.JPG

Different angle after misting:
http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0725.JPG

http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0726.JPG

http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0727.JPG

The whole pitcher:
http://www.greenelectrichome.com/_DSC0729.JPG

So, any opinions on this? I am really baffled, i know that certain butterflies are attracted to the colour red, unlike most other insects. But the pitcher is already liberally coloured in red, and this red "dye" would only be visible after rain.

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

I've had this on my enchino too...But it was on its leaves..

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Did you hurt it..? Its bleeding.. :p

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Maybe somekind of fungus that's growing on the nectar secreting spots ???

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Erk!:bored:But its kinda cool!!Scare your neighbours and say:"My pitcher plant eats people and makes discharge from blood.See."And you hand it over and they will run off:biggrin:

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Ha ha, i actually though that i was bleeding when i saw the stuff, i checked my hands to see if i had somehow injured myself!

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

I thought of that, so i sprayed all the "dye" off and it was back within a day. I`ve looked at it with a lens and it appears to be produced by the nectar glands. The only mould i know of that grows on or near nectar glands is Sooty Mould, but that is black and doesn`t dilute with water.

Re: N. mirabilis var echinostoma produces red dye?
 

Hi Durban...Here is a link to a thread i made about i think the same thing
https://forum.petpitcher.net/showthread.php?t=2275