Sarracenia Linnaeus. Pitcherplant.

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A genus of about 10-13 species, perennial insectivorous herbs, of e. North America (all but a single species endemic to the unglaciated Southeastern United States). The sections that have sometimes been recognized do not accord with recent findings about clades and relationships within Sarracenia, so are not recognized here. The status of Sarracenia as a genus with intense horticultural interest is responsible for both conservation challenges and opportunities facing taxa in the genus. Interest in pitcher color forms by collectors and growers is also responsible for the naming of many taxa at variety rank that are merely coloration forms that do not warrant taxonomic status above the rank of forma, and they are not recognized here (see McPherson & Schnell 2011, Ellison et al. 2014, and other references, for discussion).

ID notes:Hybrids between the various species of pitcherplants are relatively frequent; see Bell (1952), Bell & Case (1956), Mellichamp (2008), Mellichamp in FNA (2009), McPherson & Schnell (2011), and Trexler (2023) for further discussion. They are usually rather easy to determine in geographic context, since they show intermediacy in characters, and usually are found in close proximity to both parents. Nearly all possible natural hybrid permutations (as determined by geographic and site co-occurrence) are known from the wild, and most or all additional hybrids (of non-co-occurring parent species) have been made in cultivation.

Ref: Bell (1949); Bell (1952); Bell & Case (1956); Carstens & Satler (2013); Case & Case (1976); Catalani (2004); Cheek (1994); Cheek (2001); Ellison et al. (2014); Godt & Hamrick (1999); McDaniel (1971); McPherson (2006); McPherson (2007); McPherson & Schnell (2011); Mellichamp (2008); Mellichamp & Case (2009) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2009); Naczi et al. (1999); Neyland & Merchant (2006); Reveal (1993b); Rice (2018); Romanowski (2002); Schnell (1979); Schnell (1981); Schnell (1993); Schnell (1998); Schnell (2002a); Schnell (2002b); Schnell & Determann (1997); Stephens et al. (2015); Trexler (2023); Wood (1960). Show full citations.

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