A new saga...Laelia vasconcelosiana

[rbarata]

I have never heard or seen a rupiculous producing keikis. I nitially I though it was a spike as the initial structure of spikes looks a lot like a new growth. But not it really seems a really small new plant with roots.

A few photos for your enjoyment.

[JungleJo]

I have seen this on a few of my rupis. I think it happened once on a milleri and once on a bahiensis. I have no idea what triggers it.

[rbarata]

Every now and then I contact Reginaldo Vasconcelos (you might know who he is. In this case, he is the guy who discovered this species) and sent him some photos. He told me it may be caused by some problem in the rhizome.
In fact, because this plant is rare, there is no information about its care (that's why I called Reginaldo, to put some questions about its habitat) so I made some really bad decisions at first (full sun, wrong medium, etc) that lead to a plant without any roots and an almost rotten rhizome. But now seems to be recovering. In spite of all this, last fall it bloomed.

[rbarata]

The saga continues...the plant is now reduced to this...The are the remains of a modified flower spike that turned into a keiki (2nd photo) which I think is not common...keikis in rupiculous.





A few aerial roots that kept it alive. I have been able to maintain the plant by putting everything inside a plastic container filled with wet sphagnum to increase humidity and spraying the roots every day (not really watering). As expected, new growths (2) are emerging as usual in this time of the year.





Now, the next chapter of this saga begins today...sticked the keiki into new medium. I used the same pot, filled the bottom with LECA for drainage, changed the medium from LEKA to small sized lava rock mixed with small sized bark and topped everything with a thin sphagnum layer just to maintain the humidity in the root area.
Then, the whole "assembly" went to the same container where it was before (an old water plastic bottle).













For the moment, the watering will be spray only to keep the sphagnum humid. If everything goes according the plan, the new growths will increase their size, in one or two months new roots will emerge and will grow into the medium. Only then watering shall be replaced by the normal process.

Wish luck to the plant.

[Roberta]

Good luck!

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Good luck!

The plant appreciates.

[rbarata]

There's a new growth...I can't recall when roots usually appear but I think they would be next.
So far so good...

[rbarata]

Update on this one...two new growths.