Genus Jumellea

Jumellea recurva (Thouars) Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 33(2): 430 (1915).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Angraecum recurvum Thouars, Hist. Orchid.: 56 (1822).
Aerobion recurvum (Thouars) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 3: 716 (1826).
Aeranthes recta var. recurva (Thouars) S.Moore in J.G.Baker, Fl. Mauritius: 351 (1877).
Angorchis recurva (Thouars) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 651 (1891).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Jumellea pandurata Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 34(2): 334 (1916).
Description:
Plants upright, to 20 cm tall stem very thick (6-7 mm in diameter) and with very numerous leaves. Leaves lingulate (6-8 cm x 10-18 mm coriaceous and rigid. Inflorescences 7-8 cm, peduncle 2-2.5 cm long, with 2.3 sheaths, flowers white, spur greenish. Sepals lanceolate subacute, 20-25 mm long Petals longer, lanceolate acuminate and sub obtuse. Labellum longer than the sepals, panduriform lanceolate lower dilation slightly noticeable, the tipper laterally angular; provided basally in front of the spur oriface with a short median keel, gradually enlarged toward the front or to 1 mm tall, spur filiform-pendent acute and generally 12 cm long. Column short, auricles nearly squared, obtuse. Pedicel generally 5 cm long.
Habitat:
Lithophyte or epiphyte; on basalt rocks from 1200 m alt., flowering in October.
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, cool to warm growing.
Distribution:
C. Madagascar
References:
WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 19.02-2017; 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	Habitat/In situ
Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph ©Gilles Grunenwald. Image used with kind permission.

Jumellea bernetiana J.-B.Castillon, Richardiana 11: 151 (2011).
Description:
Plante essentiellement lithophyte, caulescente et rejetant à la base (5-20 rejets), pouvant faire des touffes de 40 cm de diamètre, à nombreuses racines assez longues de 4 mm d'épaisseur situées le plus souvent à la base des tiges. Tige non ramifiée, pendante, à 5-10 feuilles sur les 10-20 cm apicaux, de 7-10 mm de diamètre, à section plus ou moins elliptique, recouverte de fibres provenant de la désagrégation de la base des feuilles, pouvant atteindre 200 cm sur les vieilles plantes et portant à la base des rejets de 15 à 80 cm de long. Feuilles à marges parallèles, presque distiques, articulées à 2 cm de la base, à extrémité plus ou moins également bilobée, obtuse, 12-20 x 1,5-2,2 cm. Inflorescences axillaires uniflores, au maximum trois par tige, dressées ; pédoncule 30-40 x 2 mm, recouvert aux deux tiers par 2-4 gaines minces, noirâtres, les basales longues de 5 mm environ, les autres plus longues, de 10 mm ; ovaire pédicellé long de 8-10 cm, portant à la base une bractée solitaire aiguë, 15 x 3 mm, qui l'engaine presque complètement. Fleurs blanches, très légèrement odorantes le soir, dressées, de 6 cm de diamètre environ ; pétales linéaires aigus 30-34 x 3 mm ; sépales latéraux de même longueur mais plus larges, le médian genouillé, un peu plus court; labelle de 30-35 mm de longueur, sub-rhombique et atténué-aigu, à plus grande largeur 8-10 mm vers le milieu, portant vers la base à l'intérieur une carène de 10 x 0,5 mm ; éperon pendant de 9-10 cm, un peu plus long que l'ovaire pédicellé ou l'égalant, à section elliptique et blanc à la base sur 15-20 mm, puis vert et cylindrique et s'amenuisant graduellement vers l'extrémité ; colonne longue de 3-4 mm et épaisse de 2,5 mm ; caudicules blancs, 1 x 0,5 mm ; anthères brunes, échancrées au milieu vers l'avant, 2.5 x 2 mm, sans dents apparentes ; pollinies jaunes, obtriangulaires, 1.5 x 0,5 mm ; auricules du rostelle blanches, sub-rectangulaires arrondies, 2 x 2,5 mm ; ligule médiane du rostelle très courte, 0,25 mm.
Help wanted to an English translation, please write to me, if you know where this can be found.
Etymologie:
Cette espèce est dédiée à Patrice Bernet qui a fait un superbe livre sur les orchidées réunionnaises, « Orchidées de La Réunion », dans lequel elle est représentée sous le nom Jumellea sp 3 à la page 346.
Habitat:
?
Cultivation:
As given for the genus, warm growing terrestrial.
Notes:
C'est la plus grande espèce du genre à La Réunion. Cette plante lithophyte des forêts semi-sèches de l'Entre Deux, rare, appartient au groupe 6 du genre Jumellea tel qu'il a été défini par H. Perrier dans la flore de Madagascar ; affine de Jumellea arborescens Perrier, elle semble être l'espèce la plus proche mais s'en différencie par une plus grande taille, un nombre moins important de feuilles et de fleurs par tige, des feuilles plus longues, un ovaire pédicellé plus long, un labelle plus grand. Jumellea fragrans (Thouars) Schlechter, de La Réunion, a des feuilles de même forme, moins longues et de texture plus rigide mais est une plante plus petite à tiges dressées et éperon bien plus court. Jumellea recta (Thouars) Schlechter a des tiges le plus souvent érigées portant 2-5 fleurs, des feuilles plus coriaces et un labelle différent. Cette espèce à grosses fleurs est, pour le moment, endémique de l'île et n'est connue de moi que d'une seule station de l'Entre Deux, à 700 mètres d'altitude, où elle fleurit en janvier-février ; la population présente se compose environ de 60 petites touffes sur la falaise et de 4 grosses touffes accessibles. Dans la station connue, on trouve, entre autres, les orchidées suivantes : Bulbophyllum longiflorum Thouars, Cynorkis purpurascens Thouars, Angraecum cornigerum E. Cordemoy, Liparis flavescens (Thouars) J. Lindley et Angraecum mauritianum (Poiret) C. Frappier ex E. Cordemoy.
Distribution:
Réunion
References:
WCSP (2017). 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. 14.02-2017; http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Read more of Cultivation of Jumellea arachnantha (Rchb.f.) Schltr.
Light:
1000-2000 fc. Light should be relatively low and filtered or diffused. Hillerman and Holst (1986) reported that light is not a critical factor when growing these plants, but their leaves will burn if exposed to 50% sunlight. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 74-75F (23-24C), and nights average 63F (17C), with a diurnal range of 11-12F (6-7C).
Humidity:
80-85% most of the year, dropping to near 75% for a month or so in late winter. Conditions may be more humid in the mountain habitat than is recorded at the weather station, however.
Water:
Rainfall occurs from late spring into autumn. Amounts diminish rather rapidly into a 4-5 month dry season that lasts until the following spring. Rainfall may be greater than indicated in the mountain habitat. Cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers prefer to use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but others 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 67-68F (19-20C), and nights average 57-60F (14-16C), with a diurnal range of 8-10F (5-6C). Hillerman and Holst (1986) report growing these plants outside in southern California where they easily withstood temperatures only slightly above freezing but were "devastated" by 100F (38C) temperatures during dry summer conditions. In the habitat, rainfall is low in winter, but additional moisture is often available from heavy dew and late-night mist. In winter, water should be reduced for cultivated plants which should become somewhat dry between waterings, but they should never be allowed to dry out completely. If grown under very cool conditions, however, plants should be kept quite dry. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Because of their large size, these plants are usually grown in pots or baskets filled with a potting mix of medium to coarse fir bark. The mix should be open and fast-draining to allow good aeration, since the roots cannot tolerate stale or soggy conditions. Plants may also be grown mounted to a piece of bark or a log with a pad of sphagnum around the roots. If plants are mounted, high humidity must be maintained and plants need to be misted at least once a day in summer. Several mistings a day may be necessary for mounted plants during extremely hot, dry weather. Hillerman and Holst (1986) note that when this species is planted in a low bonzai-type planter with a few rocks and moss, it makes a particularly attractive display. Plants should be repotted before the medium breaks down, preferably when new root growth is just starting. This allows the plant to become established in the shortest possible time with the least amount of stress.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The entire culture sheet can be obtained by subscription from Orchid Species Culture, http://orchidculture.com
Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B. C., Canada V6X 1V7. Hillerman, F. and A. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore.

Read more of Cultivation of Jumellea anjouanensis (Finet) H.Perrier,
Light:
1500-3000 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. Hillerman & Holst (1986) suggested medium light levels for these plants, but reported that they flower well with fairly low light.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 84-85F (29C), and nights average 73F (23C), with a diurnal range of 11-12F (6-7C).
Humidity:
80-85% most of the year, dropping to near 75% for a month or so in late winter. Conditions may be more humid in the mountain habitat, however.
Water:
Rainfall occurs from late spring into autumn. Averages decrease rather rapidly into a dry season that lasts 4-5 months in winter and early spring. 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. Water should be reduced in late autumn when plants are no longer actively growing.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers prefer to use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but others 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 77-78F (25-26C), and nights average 67-70F (19-21C), with a diurnal range of 8-10F (5-6C). Rainfall in the habitat is low in winter, but additional moisture often is available from heavy dew and late-night mist. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants in winter, allowing them to become somewhat dry between waterings. They should never be allowed to dry out completely, however. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Plants may be grown in shallow, well-drained containers or mounted on tree-fern slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If it is difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow pot or basket filled with a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Growers generally use medium-sized fir bark or shredded tree-fern fiber and add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture. Including charcoal in the mix also holds the medium open and prevents souring in the pot. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down or whenever the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Miscellaneous notes:
Hillerman & Holst (1986) reported that this species is almost constantly in bloom, at times carrying only 1-2 blossoms, but at other times displaying as many as 8-10.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The entire culture sheet can be obtained by subscription from Orchid Species Culture, http://orchidculture.com
Fl. Madag., ed. Humbert, Fam. 49, ii. 170 (1941) Hamilton, R. 1988. When does it flower? 2nd ed. Robert M. Hamilton, 9211 Beckwith Road, Richmond, B. C., Canada V6X 1V7. Hillerman, F. and A. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore.
Photos/drawings:
Hillerman, F. and A. Holst. 1986. An introduction to the cultivated Angraecoid orchids of Madagascar. Timber Press, Portland, Ore. (Color photo)