Spots on my Gramm!

[Gin]

Mine has been dumping the old leaves from the old bulbs as long as it is growing new should be ok . It is in a large clay pot in straight Spag. from what I have read they grow in ant nests and make a web of roots to catch fertilizer from them . gin

[mrobert]

That's very interesting, I wonder what other symbiotic relationships exist in the orchid world?

[Stasisgate]

Well that's teh first time i've heard that term so i'll go look up cellular burst.

However, i have been infirmed that symbiotic relationship with ants has been the reason why a local species of coryanthes will not flower for me. The plant is quite large with over 20 pseudobulbs and yet no flowers

...but i've been told that because the ants use formic acid to ward off predators it has an effect on the plnt as well. It actually makes sense if you think about it and believe me there are loads more..like the euglossine bees and gongoras (scraping the perfume from the flowers to attract a mate and at teh same time pollinating the flowers).

I'm a biology major student so i looove to learn about these things.

[Gin]

Hi, I have quite a few Corys . no ants, they bloom .What species do you have ? I received a flask last week talk about weird growth habit . Here is a link about them .
Meyers Conservatory

[Stasisgate]

mine is coryanthes macrantha....unlike the ones that are sold (grown from seed in a nursery) mine came from a fallen tree whose roots were inhabited by ants so i believe that's why it still needs the ants.

I am actually hoping that it will eventually flower on its own but I'll give it a year again before i add a weak solution of formic acid to see if it makes a difference.

what kinds of coryanthes do you have (i did notice your avatar is a coryanthes...cool)

[Gin]

Coryanthes bruchmuelleri'Thulsa Doom' X self troy myers seedlings 3/6/08
Coryanthes fieldingii 7/05 oak hill
Coryanthes alborosea in bloom 2/08
Coryanthes leferenzianum oak hill 12- 06
Coryanthes picturata 2 of them carter & holmes 6/07
Looks like I don't have the same one . You might be right about needing ants . Keep us posted on what happens . Gin

[Stasisgate]

Will do... i wonder if i'm not doing something right...maybe you can give me some culture tips. how do you grow your coryanthes? maybe mine is getting too much attention...lol