Re: [OGD] Erik
Erik, Unfortunately, I do not know of any nursery in the US that cultivates Corybas. However, the Australian nurseries that specialize in their native terrestrials (e.g. Nesbitts Orchids, etc) will typically ship tuberoids at the start of their dormant period. Since they require no light and virtually no water, they should have problem surviving the trip. The problem is growing them afterwards. They are winter growers that like cool weather, but newly imported plants will break dormancy in the northern hemisphere Spring, just in time for hot weather. I once imported a wide variety of Aussie terrestrials and had absolutely no luck growing them through the summer. My only long term success has been with some Pterostylis curta that had already been switched over to northern hemisphere seasons. How that was done, I do not know. You might be successful with Corybas if you can keep them cool in the summer, especially at night, in some controlled environment. A terrarium at room temperature does not seem to be sufficiently cool (or lacks the necessary day/night difference). I tried. Hope this helps. Nick ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Name changes
> A) It is difficult to imagine combining a genus of large purple/pink > flowered plants into a genus of small red/orange flowered plants? > would it have been more "acceptable" to move Sopronitis into Laelia > and have Laelia coccinea and Laelia cernua? I have wondered about this too. I couldn't figure out why people were so disgruntled about moving Laelia tenebrosa or L. purpurata into the same genus as Sophronitis coccinea when the genus Laelia already contained L. tenebrosa, L. liliputana, and L. milleri. Surely the morphological differences between L. tenebrosa and S. coccinea aren't much greater than the differences between L. tenebrosa and the miniature rupiculous laelias. Sure, some people have favored separating out the rupiculous laelias, but it hasn't been a constant drumbeat of complaint every time the genus is mentioned. regards. Nick * ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Orchids for the Chelsea Flower Show / impounded in the Netherlands
Correct me if I am wrong, but in the context of the Cayman Islands, I think "wild banana orchid" means Myrmecophila thomsoniana and "ghost orchid" means Dendrophylax fawcettii. Both species are well established in cultivation (the Myrmecophila more common than the Dendrophylax), and I'd be amazed if they aren't already grown in Europe. This sounds like a bummer for the importer, but not a huge tragedy from the point of view of conservation. That's assuming they were artificially propagated. If they were wild collected, than it is the importer who should be in disgrace, not Dutch customs. Nick ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Jim Asher's slides
forgot to sign my last email... Nick Plummer Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Jim Asher's slides
Wow, I certainly hope that some appropriate individual or society has the skills to archive and preserve Dr. Asher's slides. An excellent talk on the cochlopetalum paphs by Dr. Asher was the subject of the very first orchid society meeting I ever attended. As a wet-behind-the-ears graduate student in genetics AND an orchid neophyte in Michigan during the early/mid 1990s, I was tremedously excited to meet not one, but two, distinguished geneticists who were also enthusiastic orchidists: James H. Asher and James V. Neel. Since I went to that _other_ school, I knew Dr. Neel better than Dr. Asher, but it was a privilge to hear Dr. Asher lecture, both on slipper orchids and on deafness genes. Sadly, both men are no longer with us, but hopefully their legacies will live on. Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] single sheath on Cattleya labiata?
I have been reading "The Classic Cattleyas" by Chadwick Pere and Fils, in which the authors assert that a double sheath is a diagnostic characteristic of Cattleya labiata. I have a seedling of Cattleya labiata 'Mrs. E Ashworth' x 'Perola Rubra' which has bloomed twice now. Both times, it had a single sheath. The flower form and bloom season is consistent with C. labiata, and the flower color is consistent with those two parents, so I don't have any reason to think it was mislabeled. Does the single sheath indicate that my plant is mislabeled, despite its appearance? Do young seedlings of C. labiata sometimes bloom with a single sheath? Are either of those parents known to be hybrids, natural or otherwise? Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Durham, North Carolina, USA Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Cattleya walkeriana - thanks
Thank you to everyone who responded to my request for C. walkeriana 'Pendentive.' I have a trade arranged. Nick Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Cattleya walkeriana alba 'Pendentive'
Does anyone have a division of this old clone that they'd like to trade? In exchange, I can offer one or more of the following: a compot of C. skinneri seedlings, a small flask of Encyclia rufa, Polystachya pubescens division, or a Maxillaria porphyrostele division. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Durham, NC Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] direct vent heaters, etc
Hi All, Thanks for all the replies, on-list and by email, to my query about greenhouse heaters. As with almost everything else in orchid growing, it appears that there is no single ideal answer, but your responses have given me more data when I weigh the pros and cons of specific heaters. Nick Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] direct vent gas heaters
For the past five years, I've been using a Southern Burner vented heater in my greenhouse, but while I have a new greenhouse under construction, I'm thinking about upgrading to something a bit more efficient. I'm considering a direct vent heater, either Empire DV35 or Sterling SF30 with ~24,500 BTU output, as that would allow me to seal up the greenhouse better. The Empire has a standing pilot light, passive exhaust, and sits on the ground. The Sterling has electric ignition, hangs from the ceiling, and has power exhaust. Does anyone have experience with either of these brands in a wet greenhouse? I'd prefer to have the heater at ground level and am wondering if the Sterling can sit on concrete blocks instead of hanging. I'm a little concerned about the pilot light on the Empire, as the pilot on my Southern Burner went out a few times. Does the Empire remain lit reliably? Electronic ignition and power exhaust of the Sterling isn't a worry, as I plan to have a backup generator installed for power cuts, but I don't know if it would have a significant effect on efficiency. Any comments or other recommendations? Thanks. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Durham, NC, USA Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with Yahoo! FareChase. http://farechase.yahoo.com/ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Laelia, Sophronitis problem
Bill Bergstrom: > why not the Laelia as the proper one to use That actually has a simple answer. It's clear that the Mexican and Brazilian "laelias" are quite different. The type species for the genus is a Mexican species, so if the two groups are to be split, the Mexican species get the name "Laelia," and the Brazilian species must be renamed. Nick Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Sophronitis
Icones: > Sophronitis cernua, at least as I understand it, is > not bird pollinated Interesting. Has the natural pollinator for S. cernua been identified? I've seen ruby throated hummingbirds visiting my S. cernua, but I realize that doesn't tell us anything about the pollinator in nature. The birds also visit my Broughtonia sanguinea and Renanthera hybrid. Leo: > I am enjoying this exchange. This re-alignment of > Laelia seems to be driven by the enigma of one > species, S. cernua. I'm also enjoying the discussion. AFAIK, the problem was the position of all the "Sophronitis" species, not just S. cernua, as well as the observation that the Brazilian laelias weren't closely related to the Mexican laelias (which include the type species). Apparently, the Mexican/Brazilian split had also been noted on morphological grounds. These links are a little old, but still interesting: First, a paper by Chiron and Castro Neto which splits the Brazilian laelias into several genera, including Hadrolaelia, Hoffmannseggella, etc. Curiously, even when Laelia is split up, most of the "Sophronitis" are still placed in the same genus as Laelia tenebrosa and L. purpurata. Sophronitis cernua remains a Sophronitis, but the large flowered "Sophronitis" become Hadrolaelias along with the big Laelias. http://members.xoom.alice.it/orchidnews/on17/paginas/vitor01eng.htm Second, a response by van den Berg defending his co-authors decision to lump all the Brazilian plants in a broadly defined Sophronitis. http://members.xoom.alice.it/orchidnews/on20/pages/cassio01en.htm It will certainly be interesting to see what further research brings. Nick Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545469 ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] molecular cladistics
Hi Leo, With Sophronitis (in the traditional sense), I'm under the impression that we are looking at adaptations for pollination by hummingbirds, hence the small labellum, red color, and lack of fragrance. If the genus is based on those features, it should probably ring alarm bells so that we are wary of parallel evolution. My understanding is that the molecular data does suggest that's the case with Sophronitis, since S. cernua and the other species don't form a monophyletic group. You point out the importance of horticultural information, and it is perhaps significant that S. cernua has very different cultural requirements than the other "Sophronitis" species. Presumably, the shared flower characteristics have evolved twice, a situation that was not easily detectable by morphology. Since the molecular data had Sopronitis (and several other genera) nesting within species that had traditionally been called Laelia, there were two options: split Laelia into a bunch of little genera or lump a bunch of traditional genera together. It's a judgment call, I guess, but at least lumping would result in more stable nomenclature given the imperfect data that is available. If you have a large, broadly defined genus, you don't need to rename everything when new data requires re-aligning the smaller groups. So, I guess I'd consider the attempt to place all the Brazilian Laelias into Sophronitis as imperfect but reasonable, given the available data. Nick Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] molecular cladistics
Leo, Why exactly is it "absurd nonsense" to place Sophronitis cernua and Laelia tenebrosa in the same genus? The size difference within the genus Cattleya is almost as great as the difference between L. tenebrosa and S. cernua. We know that changes in orchid flower morphology can evolve rapidly and that it probably requires very few mutations to produce dramatic differences in size. If the recent molecular data has shown anything, it's that 250 years of morphological taxonomy is subject to its own systematic errors. We can't simply dismiss the trees as obviously wrong if they don't fit presuppositions about the evolution of the plants. If the particular segment that was sequenced was "inappropriate," explaining exactly why would help to illuminate something new about the evolution of the plants. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Durham, NC, USA Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Coryanthes culture
Stephen, As a first approximation, culture of Coryanthes resembles that of Stanhopea. The few species that I have tried did well in a wire basket lined with sheet moss and filled with long fiber sphagnum. Coryanthes seem to send most of their inflorescences out horizontally, rather than down like a Stanhopea, so you can have some success with a pot. They grow very fast when happy and decline very fast when displeased with their culture. The different species vary in size from smallish (about the size of a Paphinia) to largish (about the size of a big Stanhopea), so just pick the species you like. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Durham, NC, USA Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] snakes and frogs
Oliver, 4 cm seems much too large for the diameter of a 20 cm snake. Was the snakeskin intact or just a piece? If intact, I think you probably have more than one snake. I'm interested in your frogs. Are they terrestrial or arboreal? Have you heard them calling? If you are looking for an ID, a good candidate might be the neotropical genus Eleutherodactylus. Eleutherodactylus species have direct development (metaphorphosis in the egg so that little froglets are hatched) and frequently lay eggs among the leaves of plants like bromeliads, so they are easily transported around. Nick Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] cultivation
Ewan, Based on your location and growing areas, I think that the easy orchids for you will be very different from the ones that I find easy. With ~20,000 orchid species and several hundred thousand hybrids, there are easy orchids for every climate but no orchids that are easy in every climate. Hybrid Phalaenopsis and lowland Dendrobiums are often recommended for beginners, but you may have difficulty giving them sufficient warmth. Terrarium: Orchids can be tricky in terraria. If you have lots of air movement (and preferably can introduce some fresh air), you should be able to grow small pleurothallids, Bulbophyllums, etc. Your specific choices will depend on the temperature that you maintain in the terrarium. Cold house: If your cold house is kept frost-free, you could probably grow some of the Himalayan orchids such as Pleione, many of the large standard Cymbidium hybrids, and the Australian Dendrobium kingianum. If you keep the minimum temperature at 10-12 C, then you can add many of the cooler growing Oncidium relatives (e.g. Miltoniopsis, Odontoglossum, etc). Sunny windowsills or under fluorescent lights: Assuming that you keep your central heating set at around 18-20 C, try miniature Cattleyas that have a lot of Sophronitis in the breeding. Probably avoid lowland tropicals like Vandas, Antelope Dendrobiums, etc, until you have a handle on basic culture and can customize a growing area. I think the best thing for you to do would be to track down some local growers or see what local nurseries sell. They'll also be able to help with potting mixes tailored to your area (availability of mix components varies widely, and different mixes are suited to different watering regimens). Some New Zealand orchid societies can be found here: http://www.orchidsonline.com.au/NZOrchidSocieties.html and here: http://www.orchidmall.com/society.htm#au I apologize if this seems vague, but your question is actually rather difficult to answer in detail from halfway across the world. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Chapel Hill, NC, USA Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta. http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_tools.html ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] for beginners: Archive
One last posting, and then I really should get to work. If you are a beginner, consider searching the archives of this list and the now defunct Orchid List Digest which had many of the same subscribers. There really is a huge amount of valuable information there, and you can skip right over the flame wars: OLD Archive: http://entobib.unl.edu/orchid.htm (This also contains at least a partial archive of the OGD). OGD archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/orchids@orchidguide.com/info.html Nick Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Cultivation
Ewan, Sorry, I missed your initial posting. The book that Peter suggested is a good one. I'd also recommend "Orchids Simplified: An Indoor Growing Guide" by Henry Jaworski. As for the specifics of your question. It is difficult to answer without knowing more about your growing conditions. Can you tell us if you will be growing under lights, on a windowsill (what direction?), or in a greenhouse? As you know, Sarracenias, lowland Nepenthes, and Mexican Pinguiculas all require different culture. Same deal with orchids. Most of the major groups of orchids have plants that are easy for beginners, and hybrids are often more tolerant for species. It would probably be hard to go wrong with a hybrid Phalaenopis, hybrid Dendrobium, or miniature cattleya. Seed propagation should probably wait until you master basic culture, unless you are already tissue-culturing your own CP. If you have a handle on tissue culture techniques, then you should be able to flask orchid seed. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Chapel Hill, NC, USA The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] beginners
I would second what Eric Muehlbauer wrote in the previous digest. I've been subscribed to this list and its predecessor for almost exactly thirteen years; the OLD archive shows that my first posting was on March 15, 1994. At that time, I was a rank beginner with a handful of plants on a windowsill, and so I asked beginner questions. This forum with its many experienced growers has been an invaluable learning tool for me, and in all those years, I don't think I've ever been flamed for asking a question. The arguments on this list are a bit like bull elephant seals fighting over territory. If you aren't another bull elephant seal, their squabbling isn't particularly interesting, and the elephant seals are only interested in each other If you don't get involved, you won't get squashed. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Chapel Hill, NC, USA Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta. http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_tools.html ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] evaporative cooler for 14 x 20 - Thank you
Thank you to everyone who responded on- and off-list to my query about a wet wall for my new greenhouse. Most people suggested one of the external evaporative coolers instead, and this weekend I spoke to a local grower who uses one. Apparently, it works well, despite our high humidity, and requires a much smaller hole in the greenhouse "skin" Mark Sullivan asked why I was concerned about insulating a wet wall. It's not freezing of the wet wall itself that worried me, so much as sealing such a large opening in the greenhouse. For the external evaporative coolers that is less of an issue. Thanks again. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love (and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/265 ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] evaporative cooler for 14x20 greenhouse?
I will be moving to a new house in a couple of months and will be building a new greenhouse, probably 14x20, over the Summer. In my current greenhouse, I use under-the-bench misting nozzles to cool air entering through shutters at ground level. This works reasonably well, but it uses a fair amount of water and leaves the greenhouse environment very wet. I'm considering a wet wall system (e.g. http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GCCS). Does anyone out there use a similar system in a hobby greenhouse? My primary concern is how to insulate it on winter nights while still being able to vent the greenhouse on sunny winter days. FYI, I am in North Carolina, USA. Thanks for any advice. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer Bored stiff? Loosen up... Download and play hundreds of games for free on Yahoo! Games. http://games.yahoo.com/games/front ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Salep
Viateur, A good place to start searching the medical literature is Medline (includes mostly English language journals, but also some journals in other languages). Free access to the database can be found at pubmed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/). The keyword "salep" brings up only four articles, three of them over forty years old. I would tentatively conclude that there is no medical evidence for any harmful effects of consuming salep. Certainly, it does not seem to be an active field of research, unless it is a hot topic in Turkish journals that are not indexed by medline.. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Dendrobium antennatum 'Green form' or D. strepsiceros?
I recently purchased an odd Dendrobium seedling, a selfing of a plant labeled Dendrobium antennatum 'Green Form.' The mother plant apparently came from Lonne's Orchid Nursery in Cairns. My plant is currently blooming, and the flowers are a pale green wherever a normal D. antennatum would be white: labellum, sepals, and pedicel. The petals are not twisted. Overall, the flowers look rather like the picture of D. strepsiceros in _Dendrobium and its Relatives_ by Lavarack, Harris, and Stocker, but my plant seems to be more green. Can anyone comment on Dendrobium antennatum 'Green Form'? Is it a color form of D. antennatum, D. strepsiceros, or something else entirely? If it is a form of D. antennatum, what is its origin? Is there an easy way to distinguish D. antennatum from D. strepsiceros? Thanks. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] addition of CO2
Thomas Hillson wrote: > Even aquarium enthusiasts use supplemental CO2 to stimulate their plant > growth. Actually, aquarium enthusiasts have the best case for adding CO2. CO2 in an aquarium is very rapidly depleted and/or stripped out of the water by any significant surface agitation, and a well landscaped tank is very densely planted. In that situation CO2 truly is rate limiting for photosynthesis. In a typical greenhouse I doubt that CO2 is rate limiting, but in a small, tightly sealed wardian case, it might be. Aquarists have also messed around with all the different methods of adding CO2 that you can imagine. Fermentation works well in small tanks, but requires constant maintenance. Dry ice is relatively expensive and and requires frequent purchases. The most cost-effective, low maintenance method of adding CO2 to an aquarium is a bottle of compressed gas and a regulator. I use a 25 lb tank for my aquarium, and I expect that it would work just as well attached to a wardian case or indoor growing area. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Strange Phal behavior
> From: "Giles Smith" > > What is going on with the new basal shoots? Is the original plant just a > genetic > freak? Is there some cultural factor that is influencing these particular > plants to > perform in such an odd way? I would rather have the bloom! Any comments > would be appreciated Are you referring to shoots that appear to be inflorescences but which produce a terminal keiki instead of flowers? If so, I suspect cultural factors but have no idea what they are. When I grew my P. schilleriana under lights for several years, it produced these terminal keikis but no flowers. Since moving it to a greenhouse three or four years ago, it has flowered well but has not produced any keikis. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Opinions please on an AOS award
Sirleen, I suspect that by entering the plant for AOS judging, you have already agreed, implicitly or explicitly, to pay the award fee. When entering plants in shows, it is usually possible to mark them "Not for AOS judging." That way, they should still be eligible for the show trophies, but you don't have to worry about the cost of an AOS award. IMO, paying for awards only makes sense for commercial growers who stand to profit by an awarded plant. Regards, Nick ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Cattleya loddigesii x bicolor
I recently purchased a blooming seedling of C. loddigesii x C. bicolor, and I would like to know the correct grex name.. The RHS database lists two grex names for the cross: C. sancheziana and C. Wilsoniana. Carl Withner lists C. wilsoniana as the natural hybrid of C. harrisoniana x C. bicolor, so presumably RHS doesn't distinguish between C. loddigesii and C. harrisoniana. Delfina de Araujo's Brazilian orchids website says that C. wilsoniana is C. intermedia x bicolor. C. loddigesii x bicolor is named C. sororia on that website. So, what is the correct name for this cross as a natural hybrid? What name should I give an artificially produced example of the cross? Thanks. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Name Corrections
Guido wrote: > There are some cases in which the correction of proven orthographic errors > is allowed. HGR described Cypripedium boissierianum (Bonplandia) and > Selenipedium boissierianum (Xenia). But even if he would have > written "bossierianum" it should have been corrected to "boissierianum" as > the > name of the person is known. Recently, Eric Christenson described Habenaria erichmichaelii. The species epithet is an obvious orthographic error, because it refers to Erich Michel who grows Habenarias and other species for Hoosier Orchid Nursery. Can we simply refer to the plant as Habenaria erichmichelii, or is an additional publication required to correct the spelling first? Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Pk
> I must admit though, since it's likely already gone from it's native > habitat, it's good too see some being hybridized and kept alive. Yeah, but if it is already gone from its native habitat, that is only because so many people were obsessed with hybridizing it and keeping it alive at home. I haven't heard of condos or highways being built on Pk hillsides, just thousands of obsessed orchidists talking about how amazing the plant is.We orchid growers haven't come out of this situation smelling like roses. Note also that the hillsides were stripped long before artificially propagated plants could possibly have been generated in large numbers, so we can't blame CITES for preventing legal trade this time. We have seen the enemy and he is us. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] warm growing pleurothallids
> While you guys are at it, may I know is there is any Pleuros species that > I can > grow and flower) in warm/hot condition? Pleurothallis longissima blooms beautifully in my greenhouse, where summer daytime temperatures are usually 90 F (32 C). Last summer, the greenhouse reached 98.5 F (37 C) on several days, and the Pleurothallis showed no signs of stress. I'd say that qualifies as warmth tolerant. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Greenhouse heater
Cynthia wrote: > Greenhouse heaters: I fixed up a 30+year old Southern Burner to run on > propane > (replace burner+) and when ready to use, my hubby ran the numbers for cost > both > electric (Prescott area) and propane (as delivered in bulk to house). He > came out just > slightly better for electric, until I reminded him of the heat going up > the flue. Then it was > a no brainer, electric was cheaper. I came to a similar conclusion when I did the calculation here in NC. Electricity was cheaper than propane, because I could seal up the greenhouse more tightly. However, since we are subject to winter ice storms, propane made more sense. The savings from electricity would have to be really enormous to cover the possibility of losing the entire collection if I were out of town during an extended power outage. To feel secure, I'd need either an automatic standby generator, or a backup Southern Burner with propane tank. That being the case, it made more sense just to use propane as the primary heater. I do have a backup kerosene heater in the shed, but failure of the ol' Southern Burner seems much less likely than failure of an electric heater. I wonder if an electric heat pump could be used in a greenhouse? In our climate (zone 7), it would be significantly cheaper than either propane or electical resistance heating, though it would be subject to the same danger of power outage. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
Re: [OGD] Oeceoclades spathulifera again
> Recently I asked if anyone knew how to get a Oceoclades spathulifera to > bloom. > > I got no answers that were useful. Is it possible to get it to bloom in > "captivity"? I think it has only entered cultivation widely within the past few years, and it does seem to be more difficult to grow than related species. It is possible that no one has bloomed it yet. Maybe you will be the first! Nick ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Encyclia identification
Mindful of Peter O'Byrne's recent comments about the difficulty of identifying orchids from photos, I won't ask for a positive identification of this plant. Rather, I will ask if anyone can confirm whether or not its label is correct (and any other speculation as to its identity would, of course, be welcome). http://home.nc.rr.com/myrmecophyte/Encycliasp.jpg http://home.nc.rr.com/myrmecophyte/Encycliasp3.jpg The plant in these two photos was sold to me as Encyclia alboxanthina, which Carl Withner considers a synonym of E. pachyantha. Sepals and petals are green, lip is pale yellow/straw colored with purple stripes, and the anther cap is orange. The pseudobulbs have two or three leaves, and the inflorescence is branched. Notably, the flowers are arranged at odd angles on the inflorescence. Some are non-resupinate, and others are sideways. Relatively few are actually resupinate like most Encyclias. The plant does have some characteristics in common with E. pachyantha: The leaves lack an abscission layer, so they never fall off, and the color of the anther cap seems correct. However, Withner says that the leaves of E. pachyantha are thin and broad. This plant has narrow, rigid leaves that are very leathery, almost succulent. The leaves look a lot like seedlings of E. phoenicea and E. x raganii that I am growing, but the flowers don't match any of the Caribbean species. Withner says that the leaves of Encyclia pachyantha and Encyclia gracilis lack a functional abscission layers. Are their any others? There's a photo labeled E. pachyantha here, but as you can see, it doesn't match. http://www.orkideas.com.br/inicio/colecoes/para01.html Given the odd angles of the flowers, I wonder if this might be a hybrid of a non-resupinate and a resupinate species. Any thoughts? Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] re: Salvage and the wild gene pool
Gerald Fisher wrote: I suggest that a viable colony of cyps in my back yard is just as 'available' to nature's gene pool as ones in > any other location. Assuming that the plants in your backyard can interact (via pollinators) with a local wild population, then you have a good point, and one that I didn't consider in my first post. In that case, "conservation" would dictate that one cultivate plants from the local area in order to avoid unintended effects on the wild gene pool. But, if it's an isolated clone without habitat for seedlings in the immediate area, then conservation value is minimal. If the cyps collected in Minnesota are shipped to Virginia, that would, in my opinion, be fine for cultivation but far from ideal for conservation. Example: I recently bloomed some seed grown Arisaema triphyllum for the first time. The single inflorescence produced numerous berries. My understanding is that A. tripyllum typically does not self pollinate, so they way have been pollinated by wild plants in the surrounding woods. Luckily, I grew my plants from local seed, so there shouldn't be any major effect. In any case, my understanding, from reading _Orchid Fever_, is that the roadside populations of Cyps that Nelson collects are fairly robust, and "conservation" probably isn't a pressing need. (snip) I suspect eaten by the deer that up until a few years ago were not 'harvested' and ate everything. Deer herd levels that were uncontrolled because of the actions of some 'conservationists' I'd suggest that the people who oppose all deer hunting (or control of other pest animals) typically are not conservationists. Conservation groups usually favor control of pest species. It's groups like PETA that oppose deer hunting. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: conservation efforts
The discussion of Tom Nelson and Cypripedium salvage so far seems to be built on a false dichotomy. Collecting for sale versus leaving the plants for the bulldozer aren't the only possibilities. As Hansen points out in _Orchid Fever_, a third alternative is replanting the salvaged Cyps in the wild, and some of those who oppose Nelson's methods may prefer this strategy. Personally, I have no problem with people like Nelson making a living by salvaging cyps for cultivation, but I don't think we should characterize it primarily as conservation. A cyp in my backyard or greenhouse is as dead to the wild gene pool as one that was bulldozed. We might also consider the effect that selling collected cyps has on those nurseries that propagate cyps from seed. Each hobbyists must weigh the alternatives when deciding which nursery to patronize and which plants to purchase. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] re: metal anythings
Bert Pressman wrote: Metal anythings covers a wide range of potential threats. While silver, lead and > mercury are particularly toxic to living things, as is well documented in the > literature, iron and zinc are components of essential enzymes and you had best > be advised that your orchids get enough of them rather than be protected against them. Bert, How is this response any better than the mythology that you are hoping to combat? That a metal is an essential component of enzymes indicates nothing about safe concentrations and whether it is toxic in greater than trace amounts. Copper is a required plant nutrient, but it is also quite lethal to plants in high doses and is used as an aquatic herbicide. Overdoses of iron and zinc are likewise toxic to many plants. I have no idea whether metal baskets are toxic to orchids, but your observation about required trace elements is irrelevant to that question. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: Dendrobium suzukii
Peter O'Byrne wrote: b) nuclear ribosomes (the part of the cell that Yukawa tested) result in their entirety from material created as a consequence of the fusion of male and female gametes, and that none of the nuclear ribosomal DNA originates from other sources in the egg cell. Hi Peter, Some slight nomenclatural confusion I think. The nuclear ribosomal DNA is the DNA encoding the ribosomal RNA, not DNA within a ribosome. "Nuclear" means that the DNA is part of the chromosomes in the cell nucleus. Because it is part of the chromosomal DNA, inherited from egg cell and pollen cell, the ribosomal ITS sequence should identify cases of hybridization that would not be obvious when using non-nuclear DNA (e.g. chloroplast or mitochondrial) that is only inherited from one parent. Regards, Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] re: Den suzukii/Peng Seng (more on sequencing)
To clarify my last comment. Suppose two species have sequence as follows: Species A -- ATTCTGAGCG Species B -- ATCCTGTGCG Directly sequencing PCR products derived from a primary hybrid will give you: hybrid -- ATNCTGNGCG This is because the PCR products contain equal amounts of T and C at position 3, and equal amounts of A and T at position 7. This sequence could not be used in a phylogenetic analysis, because there are no informative sites -- the variable sites are ambiguous. In the F2 or F3 generation of a cross, recombination between the two parental sequences could give an intermediate sequence like ATTCTGTGCG, but this is only likely if the two variable positions are much further apart than the 917 bp that Yukawa sequenced. Recombination within a single gene is unlikely. Assuming that Yukawa is honest and moderately competent, I think his phylogeny is fairly strong evidence that D. suzukii is not D. Peng Seng. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: Den suzukii/Peng Seng (sequencing)
Peter O'Byrne wrote: Yukawa had no reason to suspect that his D. suzukii was a hybrid, so he has not discussed this possibilty in his analysis. I showed his paper to researchers doing similar work at the Molecular Biology lab at Singapore University, and was told that you'd get identical results if "D. suzukii" was a hybrid. I don't agree. An F1 primary bybrid should have ribosomal RNA genes from both parents. Amplifying total DNA, as Yukawa did, will amplify the genes from both species simultaneously. Then, the results will depend on the specific protocol followed (which is not specified in the materials and methods). If Yukawa directly sequenced the PCR products, he should see ambiguous nucleotides, usually designated "N," wherever the two parent species differ. The results of sequencing a mixed PCR product are usually quite obvious. If he cloned the PCR products and sequenced individual clones, then a primary hybrid would have given him sequence identical to one or the other parent, depending on which clone he sequenced. I can't see any way that a primary hybrid could give clean sequence results that are intermediate between the two parents. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] re: Grower friendly names
One of my favorite orchid names is Guido's Hispaniella henekenii. It just rolls of the tongue so nicely. I love the alliteration -- must be my Anglo-Saxon genes surfacing. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Flat mites
I've had good results with neem oil for controlling mites on Myrmecodia tuberosa (Rubiaceae) and Juanulloa mexicana (Solanaceae). I haven't used it on many orchids, but I haven't noticed any toxicity on those that I have tested. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: Award for Jay's Acriopsis
Peter O'Byrne wrote: That statement is rather patronising ... there is no way that this occasion was a "first sighting" because the plant has been around for ages and is well-documented in the literature. What you probably mean is "the first time AOS judges have seen it", which is not the same thing. Yes, that is exactly what Andy meant. My understanding is that a CBR/AOS indicates the first time a species is exhibited before AOS judges and its identity confirmed by a taxonomist. It gives the AOS judging system a minimum baseline for cultivated, not wild, plants (and more specifically for plants cultivated within the AOS system). It's not an award for flower quality or for plant size. For the purposes of the CBR/AOS, it's completely irrelevant whether the plant is puny compared to wild specimens, is immature, or has been judged a zillion times by some other orchid society. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Angraecum pollination - thanks
Thanks to everyone who responded, both on- and off-list, to my question on orchid pollination. I have obtained a copy of one of Nilsson and Wasserthal's recent papers, and the references there give me a nice entry into the literature. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: Harlequin Phals
Iris wrote: Could you please give me a reference for the article and the definition he gave or the reason he gives for calling them harlequins. I don't have the reference, but the reason for calling them harlequins seems self explanatory. Among other things, harlequin refers to patches of solid color on a contrasting background. Compare the color pattern of a Harlequin phal with that of a harlequin dog (e.g. some great danes). Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Angraecum sesquipedale blooming season
I have an Angraecum sesquipedale seedling that is in bud for the first time, and at the rate the bud is developing, it will probably flower in late March. I had been under the impression that A. sesquipedale blooms in December, but I also have a vague recollection of reading that there may be two forms, one of which blooms in Spring. Can anyone confirm whether that is true? If there are two forms, are they different varieties or subspecies? The seedling is the cross 'Orchidglade II' x 'March,' which suggests that at least one of the parents was a spring bloomer, too. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Re: twisted flowers (was Evolution of Ludisia)
Prem wrote: Also, Tipularia discolor, native to the eastern United States, has asymmetrical flowers with the lip askew one direction and the dorsal sepal and petals skewed the other direction. I seem to recall reading that T. discolor is pollinated by moths, and the skewed flower ensures that the pollinia are deposited on the insect's compound eye. A symmetrical flower would lead to the pollen being deposited on the moth's scaley forehead, where it would not stick well. Can't recall where I read it, so I don't know if it is true. I'd be curious to know if Tipularia flowers always skew the same direction. If not, and if the direction is under genetic control, it could be a mechanism for reproductive isolation and, ultimately, speciation. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Encyclia pyriformis
I am seeking a seedling or division of Encyclia pyriformis. In exchange, I can offer seedlings of Cattleya dolosa or epiphytic ant plants (Hydnophytum or Myrmecodia). If interested, send me an email rather than replying to the list. U.S. only. Thanks. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] fungus gnats
Dick Martino wrote: > I've been really bothered by gnats this year despite the constant air > circulation in my grow area and use of freely-draining potting material. > Must be the mustiness of the basement. Finally went and bought some > sundews (Drosera) and spotted them around the table. Jury is still out on > how effective they'll be-they've only been in place for 10 days or so. Also consider some Mexican Pinguicula species. They're as easy to grow as the sundews and have a huge leaf surface to trap gnats. The flowers of some (e.g. P. moranensis) rival orchids. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Spiranthes sinensis
Dennis Westler wrote: > On an Orchidaceous note, I recently was given Spiranthes sinensis, a plant I > had long desired to have. Will this plant thrive in conditions suitable for > Spiranthes odorata? Specifically, will it handle wet winters? Spiranthes sinensis apparently has a very large range, extending from Siberia to Australia, so I assume clones will vary in their cold tolerance. Without knowing the origin of your plant, I would be hesitant to expose it to as much cold as S. odorata would tolerate. It should do fine with a wet winter, though. I have an S. sinensis (also origin unknown) that does fine in wet soil if I place it in the refrigerator. It also does fine sitting on the floor of the greenhouse. It tolerates freezing for short periods, but I have been unwilling to risk it outdoors all winter here in zone 7. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Re: AOS membership levels
I would be interested to know whether AOS membership levels increased when they started doing the "renew for two years and get $30 off a $100 orchid purchase" promotion. That was an inspired piece of marketing. I certainly took advantage of it. At this point, I'm not sure I will renew when the two years are up. With the increased dues at both Orchid Digest and AOS, my plant budget will only really cover one orchid magazine to go on the coffee table alongside "Cactus and Succulent Journal" and "Carnivorous plant newsletter." Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Re: water pH and temperature
Peter O'Byrne wrote: > Conclusion; something else is causing your pH change. Have you got any algae > or other plants growing in your container ? They would proliferate in the > light, respiring and giving off carbon dioxide, which would dissolve in the > water, making it more acidic. Algae and plants would photosynthesize in the light, producing oxygen and consuming CO2. That would increase pH. In the dark, the plants give off CO2 and lower the pH. The effect can be quite dramatic in heavily planted aquaria. If Olga is seeing a pH decrease in the light and increase in the dark, plants aren't the cause. I would be curious to know the hardness of Olga's water. If it is rainwater or RO water with very little buffering capacity, then very subtle changes can result in wild fluctuation of pH. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nick ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Re: Coryanthes and formic acid
> From: "Patricia and Jeff Harding > When I was at a Colombian orchid grower's nursery they told me they put a > solution of formic acid around the base of their Coryanthes once a month. (snip) > So, a bunch of us got some formic acid. When they described this in > Colombia, via translators, they said one tsp to the liter. I envisioned a > powder. What we have gotten is a liquid, and when you read the accompanying > literature this is really caustic stuff and I wonder about the wisdom of > using it. Sounds like it is worth a try. If Coryanthes simply want acidic conditions that inhibit microbial growth, then dilute vinegar might work just as well. I doubt there is a specific requirement for formic acid. If you do use the formic acid, just remember: "Do as you oughtta, add acid to water." and "Here lies a guy all pale and flaccid. He added water to the acid." By adding concentrated acid to water, you ensure that anything that splashes up is mostly water. If you add water to concentrated acid, then splashes could be mostly acid. Dilute the acid in a well ventilated room (or outside) and don't breath the fumes. Nick -- Nicholas Plummer nickplummer@ ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
