Dockrilla teretifolia

[ArronOB]

A friend told me about Dockrilla teretifolias flowering in a neighbouring suburb. By the time I got there the flowers were spent, but it was still interesting to see them growing in natural habitat.

I always visualise epiphytes growing in the crooks of trees or horizontal branches or elsewhere where there is a buildup of humus and other epiphytic vegetation that can retain moisture and nutrients. These plants are far from it. They grow directly on the straight trunks of Casuarina glauca trees. Their roots scramble over the trunks, the shallow-fissured bark providing minimal shelter and not much water-holding ability. It is a very hostile environment - beside a saltwater lake with the unbroken wind whistling through the casuarinas and not much screening from the full sun. In the semi-drought conditions that have become our new normal they are surviving. Marvellous adaptation - their roots must be able to retain every skerrick of moisture that comes their way.

Their roots must be highly adapted to the moisture shortage and it reminds me of the advice to only transplant or repot orchids with new roots starting, so the new roots can grow under the influence of the new conditions.

Its also interesting to ponder why these orchids only ever seem to grow on Casuarina glauca. C. glauca grows in pure stands, as narrow belts beside estuarine (not coastal) waterways. Presumably these provide the right conditions of light and air movement - conditions which look like they should be commonplace but actually aren't.

cheers
Arron

[SaraJean]

Wow! Thank you for posting this and the observations of the climate. It’s remarkable what what sort of conditions these will thrive in

I’ve really struggled with my Dockrillas. After reading this and a few others about this group, I’m starting to wonder if I’m ‘over caring’ for them like I was with my kingianums. Maybe I should try adding a little more air movement and try keeping a few of them a bit on the dryer side. What’s the humidity like out there? Are these growing in an area with deciduous trees and get much more light in the winter? Or is it this extreme high light year round?

[ArronOB]

This is the nearest weather station
Latest Weather Observations Norah Head
The situation is a bit different but I can’t see any reason why the humidity would be different.

As for the light - the trees are evergreen, so no difference summer or winter. The casuarinas grow fairly sparse as patches of a dozen or so trees with grassy gaps between. As you can see one plant is pretty much in full sun - others are a bit more shaded but that doesn’t seem to make much difference.

The leaves on the full sun one were almost black.

I guess it was a bit stupid of me to not take a wide angle shot of the environment.

[estación seca]

Thank you so much! Habitat photos and information are always useful!

Here is midsummer weather at Norah Head:
Norah Head, NSW - December 2017 - Daily Weather Observations
and midwinter
Norah Head, NSW - July 2018 - Daily Weather Observations
Remember
10C = 50 F
20C = 68 F
30C = 86 F
40C = 104 F
It's very much like Honolulu, Hawaii. Casuarina trees grow right on the beach throughout the tropics of the world due to their floating seed capsules.

Sarah Jean, other Dockrillias grow in very different environments than this. Some species get much less sun. Some have distinct seasonal humidity and/or rain variation. It is important to look up the conditions for individual species.

I have linguiforme, prenticei and toressae. All do well with bright shade, moderate humidity and frequent watering through the year. I've been told higher humidity is fine, but they're not getting that here.

They would do great for you outside in bright shade under a tree, so long as it's above freezing.