I was looking for this plant since about 1998, when I first saw its photo with old name. I asked many times for it, nobody knew of it(once I was accused on GW for trying to get druggy" plants lol), now it is quick becoming a staple of each collection. Who found it, or collected it, or introduced it to us? I am thinking it was someone here?
Who brought Culebra to us originally?
Tommie Lockwood first collected Live plants of culebra.He used them to do hybridizing experiments for his thesis at Harvard.The original plant in the wild was jealously protected by the shamans in the Sibundoy valley.The original plant he used was destroyed after his death in 1973.The plants we have now were probably from the German collected plants from Columbia.Europe was very lucky to have had several collecting trips to south America to get new species of brugs for hybridization.Though its a different plant...it is very difficult to breed with..the pollen is 87% abnormal in shape.Any first hybrids using it produced mostly normal looking brugs..a couple in Lockwoods experiments had the willow like leaves,but no split flower corollas.WHEW!!LOL
Very interesting, thanks for this. Do you know where I could find info on his experiments? I wonder if he crossed it with pure aurea.
Dennis his experiments did include aureas....but I will have to do a search to see if he used them in his culebra breeding.His research is in his thesis...Which I have a copy of.His parents did not want his work published after his death.Tommies mentor and professor ,Richard Schultes...died a couple of years ago..as did Timothy Plowman a close friend and brug collector with Tommie Lockwood.Seems most of the original researchers are all dead now.Holquin in europe collected many species in S.America too.But I think he's gone now too! Too bad. :-(
Eclipse, how come Tommie Lockwood's parents didn't want his work published? Seems a shame, and a waste. All those gorgeous plants.............
I saw Wade Davis speak recently, he's great. He did more on the Erythroxylum sp with Plowman, and other herbs, I don't think much with Solanacea. He speaks about Brugs lots in One River but he's telling RE Schultes story there.
Anna,
Its Tommies famliy's right to either have published or refuse to release his works.A lot is already in the public sector.Just hard to locate. :-)