Cyrtopodium polyphyllum

[Bud]

According to the tag it’s a Cyrtopodium paranaense; but when I googled it:
IOSPE says it’s a:
Cyrtopodium polyphyllum
The genus Cyrtopodium comprises about 42 species distributed from southern Florida all the way to northern Argentina. Cyrtopodium polyphyllum occurs on rocks or in sandy soils, in resting vegetation along the Brazilian coast. It flowers during the wet season (small wonder when I started watering it liberally in the warmer months it started to bloom) its inflorescences produce a high number of supinate yellow flowers. Cyrtopodium polyphyllum offers no rewards to its pollinators, but mimics the yellow, reward-producing flowers of nearby growing Stigmaphyllon arenicola (oil) and Crotalaria vitellina (nectar) individuals. Several species of bee visit flowers of Cyrtopodium polyphyllum, but only two species of Centris (Centris tarsata and Centris labrosa) act as pollinators. I am not a bee but I have learned how to manually self pollinate it.
This orchid is also called the “cow’s horn” currently indoors at the centerpiece table but it will go back outside the fire escape for the duration of the summer.

[WhiteRabbit]

Very cool! I love the colors! Looks very happy!

[Bud]

Thank You, Sonya !

It is producing 4 basal keikis and the flower is starting to produce two pods that I self pollinated....it just loves the 81% humid weird Manhattan weather (high 70's to low 80's) when we should be having 105 heatwaves by now

[Lagoon]

Well this is very nice, Bud. Don't recall seeing this one before. It look fairly compact. How large does it max out it size?

Good growing!

[Bud]

Thank You, Gloria !

This is in its maximum size four large mature canes in a 4 inches square plastic pot with 4 keikis coming out and producing leaves....the average height is less than a foot, the spike is 10 inches

[Lagoon]

Uhh so it is fairly compact then, Nice!
Many thanks for the info Bud, something to keep on the list - I think I might be able to squeeze this pretty in someday

[sevlarievlis]

Well, if it's really "paranaense" then it comes from the state of Paraná (Paranah) in Brazil which is a very cool place with a vast rainforest despite it's temperate zone. Remember the Iguazu falls?!? It's in that state, so it will definitely benefit from humid climates!!!

Sent from my Xoom through Tapatalk

[Bud]

That is exactly how the tag says on my plant....but I now follow the correct name....I was given grief before for following the tag and not the correct listed name

[Cym Ladye]

"Cyrtopodium, often abbreviated Cyrt in horticulture, is a genus of more than 40 species of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids found from Florida and Mexico through Argentina. They appear to form a distinct lineage in the tribe Cymbidieae together with their relatives Galeandra and Grobya; this group forms the Cyrtopodium alliance, either placed in the subtribe Catasetinae or separated as subtribe Cyrtopodiinae."

The title of this section of the OB Forum is "Cymbidium Alliance ", not "Cymbidium Tribe". I will continue to feel that placing genera in this section of the Forum, just because they may be related to or in the tribe Cymbidieae, but which do not grow under the conditions of Cymbidiums in general, only confuses the readers.

I am an advanced amateur grower who feels the most important aspect of orchids is in the learning to grow them well. I suppose if all you want is a pretty pot plant to put on your coffee table and do not care if it dies, by all means buy it, enjoy it and then throw it out. You will make all the orchid dealers very happy.

Sorry to get on my soap box again on this subject, but "if it doesn't look like a duck, walk like a duck, or sound like a duck, it probably isn't a duck". Perhaps OB needs to add another section for these Misc. Alliances, regardless of which tribe they are in?



Cym Ladye

[isurus79]

This genus belongs with the Catasetinae alliance. Maybe a mod could move this thread over?