Anthogonium gracile

[naoki]

I got this last year from Andy's, and this is the second flowering. It seems to grow ok, but I'm still figuring out how to grow it. If you grow this species, I'd like to know how you grow it. I couldn't find lots of info about this species, so I wrote up a little bit about what I have learned from googling around (link to my blog page).


Anthogonium gracile on Flickr


Anthogonium gracile front view on Flickr


Anthogonium gracile plant on Flickr

I'm glad that I managed to get the appropriate gray background with these photos(instead of pitch black, which I frequently end up with).

[wintergirl]

Interesting blog, really cute flower. The plant itself is very unusual, it almost looks dead without leaves.

[WhiteRabbit]

Awesome!

[ThePinkCucumber]

Very pretty!

[estación seca]

I would try and find out detailed weather information for a site in habitat, and also find out how much dew there might be during the dry season. A terrestrial plant won't get much water from the dew but dew keeps the ground cooler.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

While I did not succeed in getting it past the dormancy period, it does have one, (I grew mine too dry). I also want to mention that I didn't bomb drastically with this plant. I did manage to get some new growth going.

It should not be grown too wet or too dry during this time. Watering once a week during dormancy is probably good enough. Dormancy is winter.

This orchid naturally grows in between karst limestone outcrops in Thailand. I don't know the elevation of where it comes from, but it grows intermediate to warm, (55 F - 95 F).

Moderately bright indirect light.

Humidity is not a huge issue.

I might try it again sometime in 2016.

[naoki]

Thank you, all.

Philip, too bad that yours didn't make it. I think we got them at the same time when Andy's was having the sale. BTW, I know that you like Cynorkis. I didn't post it here, but I posted a blog post about miss-ID'd Cynorkis in my blog. Do you happen to have an idea about the ID of this? Update (Oct 24, 2016): I found out this is Cynorkis baronii.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I looked at your blog, and to be honest, species within the genus Cynorkis are very difficult to properly identify for a hobbyist who doesn't have access to taxonomic scientific documentation, assuming this plant has been documented, (which we both know that it is entirely possible that it hasn't been). I'm sorry I couldn't help you out with a proper ID for your Cynorkis, but if it is that rare, I can tell you that Cynorkis can self and the seeds are not terribly difficult to sow for an orchid seed sowing lab that has some experience in germinating Habenaria spp. And I'd probably recommend propagating the species as a precautionary measure so as to keep it in the hobby, or at the very least, in your own private collection.

Btw, Anthogonium gracile is quite easy to pollinate and does self too. Too bad I wasn't able to catch the seeds in time to send them to a lab to be sown.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

For anyone who has this species and would like to learn how to pollinate it , but hasn't figured it out yet, the flower is upside down. The pollinia is inside an anther cap that is accessible at the front of the column. The stigmatic opening is on the top of the column behind the anther cap. It is very easy to pollinate because it is fairly straightforward even if the flowers are very small. And the likelihood of accidentally dropping the pollinia while finding the stigmatic opening is low. The seed pods are long and narrow. It looks as if you didn't pollinate the orchid at all, but if you did it right, it most likely will take and produce pods.

[RosieC]

What cute little flowers!