- Breeder
- Mike Wang (selected from rubricorpora-mother seedling batch)
- First described
- 2023
- Type
- single clone
- Cultivar
- 'eye of tron'
Origin
A Mike-bred selection from a seedling batch whose mother plant was a rubricorpora. The cross produced offspring that mostly came out as rubricorporas or rugeliis with no intermediates — Mike culled the rest and kept this one for its exceptional red throat. The rubricorpora maternal heritage is reflected in the late-opening trap timing.
Naming
Borrowed from Mike Wilder, who in the field years ago pointed at a rugelii and described it as "the eye of tron" — a reference to an old Disney park ride where you ride directly into the eye.
Standout traits
- Exceptionally pronounced red throat (the "eye").
- Color shifts from light red on fresh traps to deep red with age.
- 2025: unusual trap height after move to 8-inch pot — late-opening behavior typical of dark Liberty Co rubricorporas.
Genetic note
Forum member mahlon (post #6, 2025-06-24) provides a Mendelian read of why crosses like rubricorpora × rugelii segregate cleanly into rubricorpora and rugelii phenotypes (50/50 split when red is dominant Rr × rr).
Standout traits
- Exceptionally well-pronounced red throat — the 'eye'.
- Lighter red on freshly-opened traps; darkens substantially as traps age.
- Unusually tall traps in 2025 when given an 8-inch pot — Mike: traps just opened, atypical for rugelii but common for dark Liberty Co rubricorporas.
- Selected from a rubricorpora-mother seedling batch — implies dominant-red genetics in this individual (cf. mahlon's Mendelian analysis in thread comments).
Cultivation
Larger pots (8") allowed unusual trap height in 2025. Most rugeliis open earlier in the season; this clone's late-spring opening is a Liberty Co rubricorpora-influenced trait per Mike.
Photos (10)
Naming
Borrowed from Mike Wilder, who in the field years ago pointed at a wild rugelii and called it "the eye of tron" — referencing an old tripped-out Disney park ride where you ride directly into the eye.