In the course of repotting some recently acquired Paphiopedilum plants some unresolved questions regarding their structures has once again occurred to me. At the risk of antagonizing the existing blood feuds that are apparent on this forum, I would like to share my observations in the hope that I might be further enlightened on this subject.
Growers of Paphiopedilums armeniacum and micranthum will acknowledge that they reproduce themselves by sending out stolons, which eventually produce plantlets at some distance from the mother plant. The literature usually presents this characteristic as unique (though not universal) in section Parvisepalum. In the course of repotting I have noticed the presence of what appear to be stolons on several Paphs outside of this section, yet I find no mention of this in discussions about these species. Perhaps I am not consulting the proper literature. The species in question are P. callosum, P. volunteanum, and P. dayanum. There may well be other species exhibiting this characteristic. Since these three species are placed in sections other than Parvisepalum, I wonder if the presence of stolons is far more widespread than is usually noted. The stolons apparent in these species differ from those in section Parvisepalum in that they seem to grow vertically rather than horizontally, as in the case of P. armeniacum and P. micranthum. Moreover, the stolons seem to be far more prominent in divisions of mature plants, and less so (or even absent) in young plants, while stolons seem to be present in plants of all ages of the aforementioned Parvisepalums. These observations lead me to several questions regarding the development of stolons in these species. Is this characteristic present in a wide variety of Paphiopedilums or perhaps limited to certain sections or species? Do stolons appear as a result of cultivation in captivity (i.e., some form of environmental adaptation) or are they present on plants observed in their habitat? In general, how are stolons differentiated from the rhizome and the stem? Should I just adjust my medication in the hope that such delusions might fade? Thanks Rick Barry
_______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
