orchid seeds on ebay?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Oberonias are so awesome! I just don't know why Oberonia toppingii does well for me for a couple years, and then just mysteriously declines. I haven't figured it out yet. I mean they just grow like mad for a year or two, and then they just drop dead completely.

Kinda wish I could figure a way to pollenate them. They're so tiny!

[tropterrarium]

Hi King,
I assume you got "toppingii" from Andy's. This plant is in reality O. rufilabris, one of the most common species in the trade (have also seen it misidentified as O. setigera, and one O. "rufilabris" turned out to be O. emarginata.

I have had a few for several years now. I grow them intermediate or warm, mounted (of course), water daily, pretty bright light, but nothing direct. Usually not the entire plant dies, so there often is a new growth hidden at the base. You can baby that one and it will grow and flower. Flowering is pretty much throughout the year for the species, but one plant flowers only once or twice a year.

My nemesis is O. "oligotrichia", of which I killed more than I dare to admit. First looks fine, but within a year or two it whittles one growth at a time down to nothing. I think I tried petty much everything I know, so have given up on it.

O. leytensis does quite well for me (Andy has it as O. sp. Philippines, but not the rambling kind.) has a very nice orange flower and inflorescence.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Yes, the "toppingii" is from Andy's. I didn't realize that it was mislabeled!

I thought the newer one looked different from the one I had originally…

I wonder which was which?.

I might have to try this genus again. The orange flowers on most of the species just seem to glow like embers. Really captivating!

This time, I'm bringing jeweler's loupes with me.

[tropterrarium]

There is a bit of vegetative variability in rufilabris (aka Andy's toppingii, sp. Laos: yep same species under two labels), e.g., proportion of leave length to width, absolute size of leaves, also spike length can be as short as 1.5 inches to as long as about 4 inches. The flowers, however, are identical. You will notice the overall red color, the forked tip of the lip, the swelling of the narrow mesochile with the sac, and the two very thin lateral threads off the mesochile. You will also notice the changing length of the floral bracts along the rachis, uncommon in Oberonia, typical and characteristic for rufilabris.

The name toppingii is currently treated by the Kew list as a distinct species, but I think it is a junior synonym of O. insectifera. That species has 2-4 lateral threads off the mesochile, otherwise is very similar to rufilabris. Don't know what the floral bracts do, haven't seen a full inflorescence yet. I only have a couple of isolated flower samples from Kew, on which I did SEM.

Re flower colors, a good number are orange (mucronata, leytensis), but there are also green ones (emarginata, cylindrica [usually sold as "iridifolia"], some patentifolia, some cavaleriei), red (rufilabris, microphylla/rosea), yellow (ensiformis, some cavaleriei [aka "myosurus"]), salmon (some patentifolia), white (longirepens = Philippines rambling of Andy's), light green (disticha, falconeri). No blue or purple ones to my knowledge.

A loupe is a good idea. Also remember, that most Oberonias are misidentified by vendors. I did send Katrin a list with all the correct names for what Andy has on offer. Given that you are also in LA, I assume you will make the SF show and certainly the SB one. Check with aaorchids, Pharo, Blumeninsel. Best to contact them before show and do a "cat in a bag" pre-order.

[Coldgrower]

Sorry all, Back to the seeds on Ebay. I purchased seed of Arethusa and another terrestrial from the seller in Turkey before they were selling them in the "turf". No seeds ever arrived. When I questioned the seller a full refund was sent. I actually never expected to get the "correct" seed, and certainly didn't expect to get a refund (like instantly). I have to agree that perhaps there was never any orchid seed to be had and that the turf is likely lacking seed. Unless you know what to look for, most people would never go searching to see if seed was actually there.

[Pat'sCatt's]

Originally Posted by Coldgrower

Sorry all, Back to the seeds on Ebay. I purchased seed of Arethusa and another terrestrial from the seller in Turkey before they were selling them in the "turf". No seeds ever arrived. When I questioned the seller a full refund was sent. I actually never expected to get the "correct" seed, and certainly didn't expect to get a refund (like instantly). I have to agree that perhaps there was never any orchid seed to be had and that the turf is likely lacking seed. Unless you know what to look for, most people would never go searching to see if seed was actually there.

And he's back on Ebay again, last few days his 'seeds & turf' keeps popping up in my screen. Has anyone on OB ever tried to report this with Ebay, and do they care? Because it came to mind to report this rather special orchid seed in a bag of turf, which grows into a Phalaenopsis.....

[Coldgrower]

Originally Posted by Pat'sCatt's

And he's back on Ebay again, last few days his 'seeds & turf' keeps popping up in my screen. Has anyone on OB ever tried to report this with Ebay, and do they care? Because it came to mind to report this rather special orchid seed in a bag of turf, which grows into a Phalaenopsis.....

I have been a member of ebay for more than ten years. I tried everything I could think of to report the variety of orchid seed sellers that are selling "whatever". Only thing I could do was to post to the Ebay discussion board and Ebay even edited my post

As it's been said elsewhere, why should Ebay care? they are making money regardless of what is or isn't being sold. It seems to me that Ebay has gone a ways downhill as of late. I used to buy and sell there with confidence. Now, I'm not so sure.

[Pat'sCatt's]

Originally Posted by Coldgrower

I have been a member of ebay for more than ten years. I tried everything I could think of to report the variety of orchid seed sellers that are selling "whatever". Only thing I could do was to post to the Ebay discussion board and Ebay even edited my post

As it's been said elsewhere, why should Ebay care? they are making money regardless of what is or isn't being sold. It seems to me that Ebay has gone a ways downhill as of late. I used to buy and sell there with confidence. Now, I'm not so sure.

I already was afraid of that, thnks for your reply!