Australian native terrestrial orchids

[Paul T]

Chris,

If it isn't nutans, it is something closely allied to it.  I don't know of any others with the nodding heads, but I am no expert on them, that is for sure.

Also, just in case anyone has noted down names of interest to them.... back on the first page of this topic I posted pics of Corybas pruinosus under and incorrect spelling for the species name.  I've just been back and modified it so that the name is now correct.  Thanks for pointing out the spelling mistake, Pascal.  Obviously the label on the pot was incorrect, and I just copied down the name. 

[Hristo]

Paul,

The pics of nutans and 'Nodding Grace' I have found exhibit the nodding habit and the brick red flush to the tips of the flower 'tube' and 'whiskers', so I reckon, given I have had these two before it's one or the other, and 'Nodding Grace' is I think just a selection of nutans, might be wrong on that but I think so. I used to have truncata and coccinea but I'm pretty sure it's not them! I reckon nutans is a good call mate!
Cheers
Chris

[Darren]

Hi Chris - I think 'Nodding Grace' is a nutans x curta cross and your plant looks about right for this. As Paul notes - it looks very like nutans, but usually on taller stems. If you look into their 'mouths' then curta is much wider than nutans and the labellum is very noticeably twisted over to one side of the mouth, whereas it is more or less symetrical in nutans.  'Nodding Grace' is between the two - a frontal shot would help.

Eric - I've grown Diuris longifolia (syn D.corymbosa) for many years . It responds to standard Australian terrestrial culture but a few extra tips are: It is shy flowering and this can be combatted to some extent by allowing it to get rather overcrowded in the pot. This is aided by the fact that it doesn't like disturbance and the long thin tubers are quite brittle anyway so I only repot about every third year. If you've only one tuber it might take some time for it to flower but I can probably send it some company next summer if you like?

Here is the Diuris. As you can see - a few plants in the pot but only a couple of flowers. It does this most years. Flower is about 4cm top to bottom.

[Eric Locke]

.

Eric - I've grown Diuris longifolia (syn D.corymbosa) for many years . It responds to standard Australian terrestrial culture but a few extra tips are: It is shy flowering and this can be combatted to some extent by allowing it to get rather overcrowded in the pot. This is aided by the fact that it doesn't like disturbance and the long thin tubers are quite brittle anyway so I only repot about every third year. If you've only one tuber it might take some time for it to flower but I can probably send it some company next summer if you like?

Here is the Diuris. As you can see - a few plants in the pot but only a couple of flowers. It does this most years. Flower is about 4cm top to bottom.

Darren - Many thanks for your help. Yes I only have one tuber which measures about 3 cms long x 1 cm dia (not sure if this is large or small ?) and many which  look like long fleshy roots, which I understand are immature tubers. I am sure some company would be most welcome if you can spare any.

Eric

[Darren]

Hi Eric - 3cm by 1cm is a decent size for a Diuris tuber. The tubers of this species usually look like long fleshy roots even at flowering size, I do get the occasional ovate one such as you describe though.  It increases vegetatively quite quickly which I suppose is the trade-off for it being shy flowering.

[Hristo]

Hi Darren,

Here is a more frontal shot, the labellum is very much orientated towards one side. Interestingly this clone may have come from you via the Lancashire AGS spring show members stand. Remember buying this and Pleione Shantung 'Muriel Harberd' one year whilst you were working behind the members sale bench! Small world I guess.......

[Darren]

Hi Chris - I do remember you buying several orchids from me and recall you visiting the show several years in succession. I only realised yesterday that it must be the same Chris when I remembered at the last show you attended that you said you were off to Bulgaria!

 The highly twisted labellum is diagnostic of P curta so it is either this or a hybrid of it (e.g. Nodding Grace) I'm inclined to think it is the latter, but it might be curta. If it came from me it isn't what i grow as nutans as i've never had enough nutans to sell on. My stock of both curta and Nodding Grace came from the now defunct Westwood Nursery in around 1993-1994.

[Hristo]

Now that's dredging up some memories I grew some Diuris, Microtis and Pterostylis from Westwood Nursery when I lived in Aberdeen! I guess 'Nodding Grace' looks more and more like a likely candidate! This clone has shown itself to be a great windowsill orchid where other species have passed by the wayside!
I do miss the Lancashire show, always great benches and a FAB members stand! ( I recall the grub is rather good too! ) ahhh, don't miss much about the UK but the SRGC / AGS shows are very high on the list! 

[Eric Locke]

Hi Eric - 3cm by 1cm is a decent size for a Diuris tuber. The tubers of this species usually look like long fleshy roots even at flowering size, I do get the occasional ovate one such as you describe though.  It increases vegetatively quite quickly which I suppose is the trade-off for it being shy flowering.

Here are photos of both the tuber and fleshy roots of Diuris Longifolia I have been given.

Eric

[Darren]

Hi Eric, those roots look like proper tubers for this species. I've not had quite such an ovate tuber from it so the tuber might actually be something else (the other Diuris species have ovate tubers like that so it could be another Diuris. Thelymitra tubers also look similar).

With the 'roots', I notice at the top of the picture that they form clusters - this is normal and there is usually a growing point at the end where they join. Try not to break up these clusters. The other single ones can either be immature ones that have not clustered yet, or possibly broken bits. It doesn't matter much so long as each has a growing point. Plant the whole lot anyway. Are these recent pictures? If so then they should be in growth by now unless freshly imported from the southern hemisphere. They are pretty easy to turn round to our seasons.

Chris - The food at the Blackpool Show is still good but the members plant stall has had a few lean years as a lot of our main donors have disappeared. Last year was much better though. Westwood nursery was great wasn't it? And had an unrivalled selection of Australian orchids in this country. In his last year of trading I bought a Chinese Cymbidium ( Cymbidium sinense 'San Chuan' ) from him too and he listed a lot of the cultivars, I wish I'd bought more as the one I got has flowered reliably every Christmas and I have never seen such a range offered anywhere else.

[Eric Locke]

Hi Eric, those roots look like proper tubers for this species. I've not had quite such an ovate tuber from it so the tuber might actually be something else (the other Diuris species have ovate tubers like that so it could be another Diuris. Thelymitra tubers also look similar).

With the 'roots', I notice at the top of the picture that they form clusters - this is normal and there is usually a growing point at the end where they join. Try not to break up these clusters. The other single ones can either be immature ones that have not clustered yet, or possibly broken bits. It doesn't matter much so long as each has a growing point. Plant the whole lot anyway. Are these recent pictures? If so then they should be in growth by now unless freshly imported from the southern hemisphere. They are pretty easy to turn round to our seasons.


Chris - The food at the Blackpool Show is still good but the members plant stall has had a few lean years as a lot of our main donors have disappeared. Last year was much better though. Westwood nursery was great wasn't it? And had an unrivalled selection of Australian orchids in this country. In his last year of trading I bought a Chinese Cymbidium ( Cymbidium sinense 'San Chuan' ) from him too and he listed a lot of the cultivars, I wish I'd bought more as the one I got has flowered reliably every Christmas and I have never seen such a range offered anywhere else.

Darren , thanks very much for your thoughts on these. You are correct that these are recent importations.
These came in a batch of others including several Thelymitra .You are correct it does look similar to these.
There was a note in with the Diuris ,mentioning that they could possibly be Diuris Maculata instead off Longifolia.
I thought possibly the best way to turn them round to our seasons was by keeping them warm for a month or two and then gradually letting them cool down aiming for a growth in Spring. Any thoughts on this would be most welcome.

Eric

[Darren]

Hi Eric - that is how I would do it too. The warm days (if only) and cool nights in spring should start them off nicely. Keep them coolish during summer but don't be surprised if they go dormant in July. If you then keep them warm and dry until October you should be able to start them off again then and they will be adjusted to our seasons. Be guided by their behaviour.

I'm intrigued to know what the 'rogue' turns out to be!

[Darren]

Incidentally, my better half has been reading this again this morning and would like to point out in response to my remarks about a shade house (replies 36-39 of this topic (on page 3)) that she has just bought me a small lean-to greenhouse to put on the north side of the shed. 

This is great. I'm now wondering about another bulb frame....



Worth a try eh? 

[Maggi Young]

Incidentally, my better half has been reading this again this morning and would like to point out in response to my remarks about a shade house (replies 36-39 of this topic (on page 3)) that she has just bought me a small lean-to greenhouse to put on the north side of the shed. 

This is great. I'm now wondering about another bulb frame....



Worth a try eh? 

Darren Sleep, I wonder if you really deserve that angelic creature, Susan .....

[Darren]

Of course I don't!