Pleurothallis ruscifolia

[estación seca]

This came to me the 3rd week of September this year.

I had been wanting to try and grow some Pleurothallis. I was dithering about finding one for my warm conditions. Seattle Orchids had a "scratch and dent" sale, including this plant offered for $10. I read it has an extremely wide natural distribution, which suggested to me it might tolerate a wide range of temperatures. As a bonus, it's supposed to be fragrant.

It came with four healthy growths, and one longer growth with a yellowish leaf. I put the plant into a large glass jar and set it off to the side of some CFL lights over Vanda seedlings. The plant sat there, with the new growth gradually looking worse and worse, the rest of the plant doing nothing. Moss began growing on the sphagnum, which I took as a good sign.

The unhealthy growth died. I began wondering whether the plant would grow again. Then, a few weeks ago, I saw green nubs appearing at the leaf sinuses, among old dry floral remnants. The buds developed and began blooming about 5 days ago. It has a fresh, fruity and floral scent, readily detectable if you put your nose up next to the flowers.

Edit added March 25 2017: There seems to be consensus this is not Pleurothallis ruscifolia, but perhaps an Octomeria. See below.

[naoki]

Nice, Estacion. Does it have a synsepal (the bottom two sepals fused)? I can't see the flowers well, but it looks like the flower has 2 lateral sepals like Octomeria.

[u bada]

Wonderful! Yeah, many pleuros practically take a dormancy in summer and then fall hits and they start popping! Sounds like a great plant, keep us posted on it continues with your current care...

[estación seca]

Naoki, thank you for bringing this up. I know next to nothing of this group of plants.

The flowers do not look like those on the IOSPE site for Pleurothallis ruscifolia. P. r. has very narrow petals and united (connate) lower sepals. This plant's petals and sepals are about the same width and not connate. IOSPE doesn't have a list of diagnostic characteristics for Pleurothallis, but it does for Octomeria. I don't have a lens powerful enough to count the pollinia. Do all/most Pleurothallis have connate lower sepals?

These are the best photos I can get.

[u bada]

oooh, good eyes naoki (which makes sense given your profession), definitely looks like an octomeria... those are tough plants if it is one of those...

[naoki]

Estacion, I can see the flowers better with the newer photos, it is probably Octomeria. There are so many similar species, so you'll need to dig quite a bit to find the species.

If Seattle Orchid can tell you the origin, it would help.

Not all Pleurothallis has the connected lateral sepals, it's a huge genus.

[estación seca]

I sent photos to Seattle Orchids.

Originally Posted by u bada

...definitely looks like an octomeria... those are tough plants if it is one of those...

You have to mean "tough" as in "easy to grow and tolerant of cultivation mistakes" if I'm flowering it. It's already been through the warmest and coolest temperatures it will ever experience.

[u bada]

haha absolutely... brazilian plants are always a great place to start with "tough" conditions like yours, and mine to less extent... wish I had know about seattle's sale, drats! their plants are too pricey otherwise, but they have great species...

[Tindomul]

Beautiful growth and flowers. THe surviving growth is looking great.

[estación seca]

Seattle Orchids said it is P. ruscifolia. I replied with questions about the petals/sepals, and the flowers not resembling those on IOSPE, and got no response.