Schoenorchis manipurensis

[shakkai]

This one is so little it is amazing! For reference, this is sitting on top of the mini project #4 plant, Aerangis rhodosticta.



From the information that I have been able to find, this plant is from the Indian range (cooler growing) of Schoenorchis fragrans.

[Ross]

Now that's tiny. Even I have room for something this small! How much light are we talking? I take it yours is in your tank?

[shakkai]

Hi, Ross!! Yes, its in the tank - can you imagine how quickly that little thing would dry out?! It needs 1200-2000 fc. The fragrans likes to grow hot, but these ones from the Indian range take warmth in the summer but highs of only 72 in winter, and nightly lows into the low 50s. Nearly ideal for me!

[Ross]

I can't quite tell from photo, but what type of mount is that? I can easily provide these conditions as the top shelf of my orchidarium is only 10" below a bank of 4 T5 florescents. The humidity stays about 90+ and temps of lower 80s in day (from lights) and 70s at night (maybe 60s in winter). Sound OK?

[cb977]

Too cute!

[shakkai]

Ross, Those temps sound perfect for this one. It seems that the key is to provide high humidity and very little direct water. It wants moisture, not water - if that makes any sense....

The leaves are very thick - succulent-like. I have been advised to mount this directly to cork (or something else that doesn't hold water) without any moss pad. What you see in the photo isn't actually a mount yet. It arrived potted (which spells doom for me!) so I immediately took it out, and this is just a medium sized piece of bark. The cork mounts just came today, so that is my project for tomorrow.

Here is the IOSPE PHOTOS info. Though it says warm to hot for the temps - when you look at actual data from Manipur, India in this plant's natural range, the temps are more like intermediate.

[shakkai]

Sue, Do you have a fragrans? These plants are so tiny... just 1cm (less than 1/2 inch!) total. I can't imagine a collection that doesn't have room for one of these.

[Toddybear]

I have Schoenorchis seidenfadenii....may be a synomyn of fragrans...certainly looks similar...it is equally as mini as your species, which I must admit, I never heard of but would probbaly do better for me since it prefers cooler temps.

[shakkai]

Todd, I have seen this one (manipurensis) listed as a synonym of fragrans. And the cultural details I have are actually for fragrans - with notes that the Indian range from Manipur grow 10 degrees cooler than the Burma and Thailand plants.

In the end, they could just be local range variations of the same species. I am hoping, though, that mine has the brighter purple flowers (as shown in the IOSPE photo), rather than the pink ones.

[solo1979]

I just picked up my first Schoenorchis fragrans and as I'm out of room for the normal size orchids, I'm already hooked on these. What's a good place to get them from?

Solana