Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium venosum Harv. ex Rolfe
Light:
1800-3500 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times. Plants growing in shaded conditions usually have leaves and spurs that are longer than plants grown in brighter light.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 78-80F (26-27C), and nights average 66-68F (19-20C), with a diurnal range of 12F (7C). Even with the differences in elevation, there is little difference in summertime temperatures between the low-lying coastal habitats and the higher-elevation mountain habitats. Comparisons between the habitats may be made by checking the climate table accompanying Mystacidium braybonae, a species said to grow on the same trees with Mystacidium venosum in the mountains of Northern (Transvaal) Province.
Humidity:
70-75% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for 2-3 months in winter.
Water:
Rainfall is light to moderate throughout the year, with a somewhat drier period in winter. Cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent with the roots allowed to dry out between waterings. Conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer and then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 71-72F (22C), and nights average 51-54F (11-12C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (10-11C). Because of the range in habitat elevation, these plants should adapt to conditions similar to those required by Mystacidium braybonae, with night temperatures in winter as much as 10F (6C) cooler than indicated in the preceding climate table. Rainfall in the habitat is rather low in winter, but some additional moisture from heavy dew often is available. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants, but they should not be left completely without water for long periods. Occasional early-morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas while also providing the dry winter rest necessary to promote blooming. The dry season in the inland mountain regions is longer and more severe than in the low-lying coastal regions, and while these plants require a dry winter rest, it does not need to be as long or as severe as the rest provided for Mystacidium braybonae. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
La Croix & la Croix (1997) reported that plants in this genus do not grow well in containers and suggested that they be mounted on cork or rough-barked slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow basket using a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry rapidly after watering. Using large chunks of cork and/or charcoal in the way that vandas are grown should produce satisfactory results.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
Genus Mystacidium
Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium capense (L.f.) Schltr.,
Light:
2000-3000 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times. Van Ede (1990) reported that plants in cultivation seem to produce more blooms with increased light intensity.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 78-80F (26-27C), and nights average 66-68F (19-20C), with a diurnal range of 12F (7C).
Humidity:
70-75% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for 2-3 months in winter.
Water:
Rainfall is light to moderate throughout the year, with a somewhat drier period in winter. Cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent and conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy. The McQueens (1992) report that plants should be allowed to dry out thoroughly between waterings.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 71-72F (22C), and nights average 51-54F (11-12C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (10-11C). Because of the range in habitat elevation, these plants should adapt to temperatures 6-8F (3-4C) cooler than indicated in the preceding climate table. Van Ede (1990) reported that night temperatures in winter can drop to 43F (6C) without any noticeable harm to these plants. Rainfall in the habitat is rather low in winter, but some additional moisture from heavy dew often is available. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants, but they should not be left completely without water for long periods. Occasional early-morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas while also providing the dry winter rest necessary to promote blooming. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
La Croix (1997) reported that plants in this genus do not grow well in containers and suggested that they be mounted on cork or rough-barked slabs. Van Ede (1990) reported that these plants grow well when mounted on slabs of cork, tree fern, or hardwood without showing a preference for any of the media used. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow basket using a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry rapidly after watering. Using large chunks of cork and/or charcoal in the way that vandas are grown should produce satisfactory results.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium braybonae Summerh.,
Light:
1800-2500 fc. Plants should be grown in moderate shade. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 85-86F (29-30C), and nights average 64-65F (18C), with a diurnal range of 21F (12C).
Humidity:
60-65% in summer and early autumn, dropping to 50-55% from late autumn through the following spring. Averages in the habitat are probably somewhat greater than indicated in the preceding climate table, however.
Water:
Rainfall in the habitat is moderate from late spring into early autumn. Amounts then drop fairly rapidly into a dry season that extends from midautumn into early spring. Cultivated plants should watered regularly while actively growing, but their roots should be able to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Water should be reduced after new growth has matured in late autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 72-76F (22-24C), and nights average 41-46F (5-8C), with a diurnal range of 30-31F (17C). Rainfall in the habitat is low for 5-6 months from midautum into early spring, but humidity is high enough so that the large range in temperatures results in heavy dew and late-night and early-morning mist during most of the dry season. Water should be greatly reduced for cultivated plants in winter, but they should not be left completely without water for long periods. If humidity is high, occasional early-morning mistings between occasional light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Fertilizer should be eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
La Croix (1997) reported that plants in this genus do not grow well in containers and suggested that they be mounted on cork or rough-barked slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow basket using a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry rapidly after watering. Using large chunks of cork and/or charcoal in the way that vandas are grown should produce satisfactory results.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
Mystacidium venosum Harv. ex Rolfe in W.H.Harvey & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Cap. 5(3): 79 (1912).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Mystacidium taeniophylloides Kraenzl., Vierteljahrsschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich 74: 109 (1929).
Description:
A small, up to 5 in. (12 cm) wide monopodial epiphyte with numerous long roots that are 0.1-0.2 in. (0.3-0.6 cm) in diameter and are gray-green with white streaks. Pseudobulb/stem: 0.2 in. (0.5 cm) long. The short stem is enclosed by old leaf bases. Leaves: 0.6-2.4 in. (1.5-6.0 cm) long by 0.3-0.4 in. (0.7-1.1 cm) wide. Two to five rather fleshy, spreading, elliptic to oblanceolate leaves with unequally bilobed tips are distichously arranged on the stem. Leaves may sometimes drop and be completely absent during the long dry season. When viewed against the light, reticulate venation is obvious in the leaves, hence the name venosum which comes from the Latin word 'venosus' meaning 'veined'. Inflorescence: 1.2-3.5 in. (3-9 cm) long. Several (2-3) pendent flower spikes arise from among the roots at the base of the stem. Flowers are carried in 2 ranks in an alternate arrangement on each stem. Flowers: Up to 12 crystalline white blossoms that are fragrant at night are carried on each inflorescence. The spreading flowers are 0.6-0.8 in. (1.5-2.0 cm) across. The erect, lanceolate dorsal sepal is 0.3 in. (0.8 cm) long by 0.1 in. (0.25 cm) wide near the base, tapering to a sharply pointed, reflexed apex. Lateral sepals are obliquely spreading, 0.4 in. (0.9 cm) long by 0.1 in. (0.3 cm) wide near the narrow base and then taper gradually to a sharply pointed tip. The rather small triangular petals are 0.2 in. (0.5 cm) long by 0.06 in. (0.15 cm) wide at the base. They taper gradually from the base to sharply pointed tips and are reflexed toward the tip. The 3-lobed lip is 0.2 in. (0.6 cm) long by 0.08 in. (0.2 cm) wide with toothlike lateral lobes at the base and a lanceolate, sharply pointed midlobe. There is a long, straight to slightly curved spur at the base of the lip that is 1.2-1.8 in. (3.0-4.5 cm) long, tapering to a sharply pointed tip from a fairly narrow opening.
Habitat:
This epiphytic orchid is found in eastern Cape Province from near Port Elizabeth northward through KwaZulu-Natal Province and Northern Province (Transvaal), with its occurrence also reported in Swaziland. Plants are found on a variety of host trees in rather varied habitats from near sea level in hot, humid conditions to cooler, moist, mountain forests at elevations up to 4900 ft. (1500 m), and they grow both in rather shaded conditions as well as in bright, exposed situations.
Cultivation:
Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium venosum Harv. ex Rolfe
Distribution:
Mozambique to S .Africa
References:
Ball, J. 1978. Southern African epiphytic orchids. Conservation Press Ltd., Johannesburg. la Croix, I. and E. la Croix. 1997. African orchids in the wild and in cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, OR. McQueen, J., and B. McQueen. 1992. Miniature orchids. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Stewart, J., with H. Linder, E. Schlepe, and A. Hall. 1982. Wild Orchids of Southern Africa. Macmillan South Africa, Ltd., Johannesburg. Tropicos W3, Missouri Botanical Garden, Van Ede, G. 1990. Mystacidium brayboniae "Boom-Elf" and other white-flowered mystacidiums. Schlechteriana 1(3): 122-127; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 07.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture | In culture |
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| Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph ©Leo Klemm. Image used with kind permission. |
Mystacidium tanganyikense Summerh., Bot. Mus. Leafl. 12: 113 (1945).
Description:
A dwarf species, virtually stemless; roots very fine, 1 mm in diameter. Leaves two to five, 1.5-5 x 0.5-1 cm, oblanceolate, unequally and obtusely bilobed at the apex, dark green with raised, reticulate venation. Inflorescences to 6 cm long, rather laxly several-flowered. Flowers starry, translucent pale green or white, 10-15 mm in diameter. Pedicel and ovary 6-12 mm long, very slender. Sepals and petals lanceolate, acute, spreading; dorsal sepal4-8 x 1-2 mm; laterals longer and rather oblique; petals slightly shorter. Lip 5-7 x 3 mm, lanceolate, acute, very obscurely trilobed at the base; spur 1-2 cm long, tapering from a wide mouth. Column 1 mm long.
Habitat:
Epiphytic in montane and submontane forest, growing on twigs, small branches, and lianas, usually sunk in moss and often abundant where it occurs, 1300-2500 m.
Cultivation:
Intermediate to cool temperatures, heavy shade and high humidity.
Distribution:
Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
References:
Orchids of East Africa Piers 1968; The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977; Flora of Tropical East Africa Orchidaceae Part 3 Cribb 1989; Orchids of Kenya Stewart 1996; African Orchids in the Wild and Cultivation La Croix 1997; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Part 2 Pope 1998; Angraecoid Orchids Stewart, Hermans and Campbell 2006; WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 07.03-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.
| Habitat/In situ | Habitat/In situ |
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| Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission. | Photograph© Lourens Grobler. Image used with kind permission. |
