Abstract

Sarracenia purpurea var. montana is a carnivorous pitcher plant endemic to the southern Appalachian region of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It is a federal species of concern under review with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This study focuses on a population of S. purpurea var. montana, located in Transylvania County, North Carolina, that exhibits unique flower morphology. Typically, S. purpurea flowers are pendulous and oriented downward with one sepal whorl, one petal whorl, and a smooth style. In this population, some individuals have intermediate and upward-oriented flowers, multiple sepal whorls, multiple petal whorls, and frilled styles. We hypothesize that this atypical flower morphology might be associated with differences in fitness, including reproductive effort (pollen production) and reproductive output (seed production). To test this, we monitored the population throughout the 2023 reproductive season and compared our findings to data collected in previous years at three other S. purpurea var. montana sites in western North Carolina. We collected anthers and recorded floral stage and orientation weekly, measured the morphological characteristics of the pitchers, and counted seeds once the ovaries had matured. Analyses show that the reproductive effort, reproductive output, and pitcher morphology of the site’s plants are comparable to those at other sites in the region. Future research includes exploring the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying this population’s unique morphology. Comparing morphological and reproductive traits among populations documents the natural variation that exists within S. purpurea var. montana. Such comparisons can inform conservation efforts by identifying populations that may be of particular interest to preserve.

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