Neocogniauxiana monophylla

[ronaldhanko]

Originally Posted by Tom-DE

Great species, Ron. Is yours blooming now? Mine normally blooms in late summer or early fall.

No, Tom. Mine usually blooms that same time, but it's only now I've gotten it blogged. Mine is now putting up new growths.

[Tom-DE]

It normally will send up new growths soon after the bloom. I think this species is a lot easier to grow/bloom than its sister N. hexaptera.
A really great species for any collection! Nicely done, Ron.

[ronaldhanko]

N. hexaptera has a reputation for being difficult and I did kill a plant years ago.

[PaphMadMan]

Originally Posted by RosieC

That is really cool Ron.

I find it amazing that an orchid can possibly move between Cattleya and Pleurothallid. Does it have p-bulbs, I thought Cattleya's did and Pleuro's didn't, but then I don't know that many of each really.

Remember that many Epidendrums and others that are certainly Cattleya relatives don't have pseudobulbs either. And Catts and Pleuros are actually fairly closely related, in different subtribes of the same tribe.

I think there was always some question about what this genus was really related to. The resemblance of the flower to Sophronitis (and lack of resemblance to most Pleurothallids) probably had the biggest influence on where this genus got sorted out. That was the problem with classifying on the basis of physical traits. Which physical characteristics are really important? You might as well put all red flowers in one genus and all yellow ones in another. In this case DNA comparisons made the true relationships clear when superficial appearances didn't.

BTW, great growing Ron. I have always loved this species but I've never tried to grow it. What temperature range do you give it? Now that I'm setting up a climate-controlled terrarium I might give this one a try along with some other Pleurothallids.

[ronaldhanko]

Hi Paph,
The whole relationship thing including the DNA evidence I understand intellectually - it just doesn't "feel" like a Pleuro to me, and perhaps never will. I've thought of it so long as related to the Cattleyas, it still seems like that to me. Like to see some hybridizing done with by way of proving its relation to the Pleuros.
As to culture, I give it high light - almost right up to the T5 HO lights I use and the temp range is 50-70 winter and 60-75 summer. It's on a piece of branch, which now has a covering of moss, and gets watered every day

[PaphMadMan]

I think the lack of any hybrids with Cattleya relatives is a pretty good demonstration that it isn't one of them. They are a pretty fertile group in general and Neocogniauxia hybrids must have been attempted many times.

I'd love to see some Pleurothallid hybrids with Neocogniauxia too, but I'd be surprised if it hasn't already been tried. Other than Dracuvallia there just aren't many intergeneric hybrids in the Pleuothallids. Maybe they just aren't as interfertile as the Catts.

[ronaldhanko]

Or perhaps not as much has been done - some years ago, I did a bunch of hybrids and sent them off to a person who was in the business, but he died or something and I never found out what happened to all the pods I sent him. Maybe will try again.