Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dendrobium masarangense var. masarangense

The name of this tiny species is bigger than the plant or the flowers.  The plant is a tiny cluster of thin pseudobulbs and needle-like leaves about 7 cm tall and the flowers are about 1.5 cm, growing in pairs and showing themselves just above the pseudo-bulbs.

The plant is from New Guinea and is another one of the Oxyglossum Dendrobiums.  It is a lowland species and somewhat warmer growing than many of the others.  It varies some in color from white to pale yellow, green, or orange, the flowers in every case being nearly translucent.


12 comments:

  1. Hi Ron

    I have a similar plant, although it's greener flowers might assign it to the theionanthum subspecies. I'm desesperately looking for some pollen to outcross it, would you be willing to help me with that?

    Laurent

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    Replies
    1. Hi Laurent,

      I'm willing to send pollen, but my plant usually blooms a little later in the year. If you would get in touch with me again in a month or two, I may have some flowers then.

      Delete
  2. Hi Ron

    the flowers on my plant are just opening, so surely they'll still be fresh in 1-2 months. I'll then write you again!

    Thanks a lot
    Laurent

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Look forward to seeing if you can get a few pods started.

      Delete
  3. Hi Ron

    I've at least had the chance of finding a second clone of D. masarangense, and I've made several outcrosses today!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/10560736@N04/8254251365/in/photostream

    So I guess I won't need the pollen you kindly accepted to send me later!

    cheers
    Laurent

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mine is just coming into bloom now and the first flowers are starting to open.

      Delete
  4. I have pollinated 4 flowers out of the 5 available. If too many fail to form a pod, maybe then in a few weeks I'll get to you again for some pollen for a last attempt!

    Laurent

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like mine is blooming with around 30 flowers, so there should be plenty of pollen.

      Delete
  5. Wow 30 flowers, that's good! I still will try to make a pod with your pollen, if you don't mind, as your plant is probably of the masarangense variety, from warmer climate than mines. It would be interesting to see how tolerant are the "intervarietal hybrids".

    Would you also share pollen from your red agathodaemonis? I have only pink-white clones, and mixing them with some blood red genes would be fine!

    Laurent

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    Replies
    1. Willing to do both. Got back to me later in the week with your address and I'll get the pollen off asap. Very busy time of the year for me, so I'm making no promises about when.

      Delete
  6. Hi Ron

    As promised, I come back to you with my address:

    Laurent Minet
    rue Yerpen, 3
    4500 Huy
    Belgium

    Don't worry if you have no time to do this until begin 2013, I guess the mail would anyway be much delayed in the postal system between Xmas & NY!

    Thanks a lot!
    Laurent

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been so busy, Laurent, that I forgot your request for pollen from the red agathodaemonis. I'll try to get pollen from both off next week.

      Delete