In a recent posting, Viateur asked about the cultural requirements for Pecteilis susannae (L) Raf. Comber, in his 1990 3Orchids of Java2 reported the following.
3Although recorded from all over Java, it must now be classified as quite rare; altitude records vary from seal level to 1000 m, habitat it usually grassland or scrub. As with many other tuberous plants, P. susannae thrives in areas which have strongly season climate and where fires are common in the dry season. These fires clear wasy the competitive vegetation, kill pests and the ashes presumably provide fertilser. After several seasons without a fire plants become rather weak, but in the rainy seasonfollowing a fire they are outstandingly vigorous, although shorter and sturdier. Unfortunately after a fire they are vey conspicuous and are frequently dug up and taken away for planting in gardens where they inevitably die. If one has to move them the time to do it is when they are dormant, or just as the foliage is dying down, not when they are in flower, but is it not better to leave them where they are?2 3Also in Southern China (up to 2750 m), India, all over South-East Asia to Timor where Rumphius first wrote about it in the mid 16009s and named it after his wife Susanna. 3 Using climate data from Bandung, Java, there is little seasonal variation in temperature, with daily maximum values averaging near 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) and minimums averaging no lower than 61 degrees F (16 degrees C). Rainfall at this location is heavy most of the year, but there is a somewhat drier season lasting for 2-3 months. Humidity is 75-80% most of the year, but drops to near 65% during the dry season. The dry season at other locations in Java is longer and more severe than indicated by the data for Bandung, however. Although reported by several sources as occurring in China, India, and all over southeast Asia, I have not been able to find any specific information as to habitat elevation in those regions. Seidenfaden & Wood in their 3The Orchids of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore2 report only, 3in Malaya only found in Kedah, in open grassy places.2 Pearce & Cribb in their 3Orchids of Bhutan2 report the wide distribution but report the habitat in the Bhutan region as 3Darjeeling (Chota Rangit River)2 with no elevation given. Without habitat elevations, I can9t do more than guess that winter minimum temperatures are probably somewhat cooler than those found in Java. In addition, the winter monsoon (or dry season) in these regions is much longer and more severe than indicated by the climate data from Java. I have been unable to find any mention of this species in China in the material in my library, and If the plants are indeed found in China at elevations up to 2750 m as reported by Comber, they will obviously tolerate average winter minimum temperatures at least down to near freezing. I would only subject plants to these extremes with extreme caution and trepidation, however. I hope this helps a little. Charlie _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
