Pinguicula gigantea

Pinguicula gigantea is a tropical species of carnivorous plant in the family Lentibulariaceae. Its native range is within Mexico. P. gigantea's flower is usually a purple colour with the occasional light blue also seen. P. gigantea was once classified as Pinguicula ayautla.

This Pinguicula was discovered by Alfred Lau and described by the botanist Hans Luhrs.

P. gigantea has a few different forms, such as the 'white flower' form or the 'blue flower'.

Because of the way the flowers are constructed, it is tricky to pollinate them by hand. The easiest way to pollinate the flowers is with a tooth pick. You could play hummingbird tongue by poking the toothpick in and out of the flower trying to pick up the pollen from the anthers on the way out and deposit it on the stigma on the way in. 


However a more reliable way is to rip the flowers to get at the anthers and stigmas directly. To rip the flowers hold the top petals with one hand and the lower petals with the other and carefully tear off the lower petals.

Do not touch the stem as you are likely to damage it. You can use a toothpick to transfer pollen the from the anthers to the stigma or use a forceps to remove the stamens and paint the stigma with the anthers. It may take some practice.

Habitat
P. gigantea grows in the Mexican state of Oaxaca at an altitude of 688 meters or 2260 feet.

Leaves
P. gigantea, unlike most Pinguicula species, has sticky upper and undersides of the leaves. The leaves have trichomes on them, which secrete a mucilage that traps prey. P. gigantea's leaves are among the largest in its genus. The species epithet, gigantea, describes this characteristic.

Flowers
The flowers of P. gigantea are usually zygomorphic. The varieties of P. gigantea differ solely on their flowers, such as the 'blue flower' P. gigantea or the 'white flower' forms. Other forms have also been described.

Dormancy and winter

P. gigantea is a tropical Mexican species of Pinguicula. Its dormancy is not regulated by temperature or light. Like most tropical species, its dormancy is triggered by lack of moisture. Very little precipitation falls during the winter in Mexico where this Pinguicula species lives. In order to survive in these conditions it forms non-carnivorous leaves and can handle dry conditions. When the plant emerges from its dormant period in the Spring, it produces new carnivorous leaves and eventually flowers.