Stenoglottis germination - possible ex vitro?

[LexyBoy]

Hello!

I've grown Stenoglottis longifolia for a couple of years (just coming into bud now) and found it very easy going and fast. I'd love to try some of the other spp. - S. fimbriata and woodii in particular - but they seem pretty hard to come upon.

Anyway, I'm sure I read that Stenoglottis and some other SA terrestrials can be germinated on Sphagnum - I know this is commonly done with Disa uniflora but does anyone know if Stenoglottis can be grown this way?

Didn't have any luck googling for the seed structure etc.

[PaphMadMan]

I haven't grown this genus, don't know much about it, but I do see a little info on the web - someone selling seeds mentioning sowing on boiled sphagnum, and a Japanese website with some germination pics on sphagnum and terrestrial media. Seems like it is worth a try. Good luck.

[LexyBoy]

Maybe I will!

The only place I've seen seed is exotic-plants.de, which looks fairly respectable (excepting the listing of "20 seeds" which may just be there because legally you have to state *a* number). Most of the orchids listed are from SA and there's also a number of other SA plants suggesting a supplier from there.

But... I've not seen many reviews, and more worryingly that seller has an Amazon site too with the same range but with the addition of all the classic scam "seeds" - rainbow roses, monkey face orchids, etc

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by LexyBoy

that seller has an Amazon site too with the same range but with the addition of all the classic scam "seeds" - rainbow roses, monkey face orchids, etc

I don't think it's worth your time nor money to order from someplace like that. Don't let your ardor interfere with your intelligence.

[LexyBoy]

No, that was my thinking. Even if the seeds were genuine I'd never know whether I failed because of my method or badly stored seeds.

Anyway, I checked Silverhill and they do list S. fimbriata. I was planning to buy other seed from them (not orchids) so will give it a go - I know it's a long shot but nothing ventured nothing gained!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You are better off getting your Stenoglottis seeds from Silverhill Seeds. You will get more seeds per packet for the same price.

When Exotic-Plants.de says 20 seeds, they are serious. You will get roughly 20 seeds per packet. It is not because they are saying it to comply with any kind of laws. That's how they run their business. And they do actually sell you the real deal. They source their seeds from Silverhill.

I don't know how germination rates with Stenoglottis are, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are not terribly high compared to something like Phalaenopsis.

I don't understand what you mean when you say you were looking for information about the seed structure of Stenoglottis, but I can tell you this...they are basically the same as other orchids. The seeds are tiny and they are dust-like. Under the microscope you will see the embryo is covered by the testa, which looks like a transparent candy wrapper. But what you might not be able to see is that the embryo itself is coated by the carapace.

By the way, Disa uniflora seeds are pretty large as far as orchid seeds are concerned. You can actually see the embryo inside the testa without a microscope. All you need is a good jeweler's loupe. It is going to be a slightly different experience if you're talking about sowing Disa uniflora compared to sowing Stenoglottis fimbriata.

I will also mention that while ex-vitro germination of Disa uniflora seeds is possible, germination rates may not be as good as if the seeds were sown in-vitro. Take this information for what it's worth in relation to Stenoglottis fimbriata. It is kind of like comparing apples to oranges, but I think there might be enough similarities to each other to make some sort of connection. This is not to convince you to sow the seeds in-vitro, this is just how it is. It is not an opinion, there is a large body of evidence that supports this consistently.

As a side note...many South African terrestrial orchids are very difficult to sow by seed in-vitro and germination rates can be poor. And many of them cannot be sown ex-vitro. For many of them, it can take you anywhere from 2 - 3 years before you can deflask seedlings that are large enough to be considered for potted culture. Disa uniflora is one of the species of South African terrestrial orchids that is unique in that they grow much faster and is one of the few SA terrestrials that can be sown ex-vitro. I was able to receive a flask of Disa uniflora within 1 - 2 years - no more than 2 years. However, I could not get Disa uniflora to germinate ex-vitro.

To give you some examples of what I mean as far as the length of time it may take for SA terrestrials to germinate and grow into large seedlings...

It took me approximately 3 years to receive a seedling of Disa chrysostachya. It took me roughly the same amount of time to receive some seedlings of Disa thodei. As you can see, this is not something you do for the short run. You gotta be in this for the long haul when you're talking about South African terrestrial orchids.

Like I said before, I don't know much about sowing seeds of Stenoglottis, therefore, I cannot give you details on average germination rates ex-vitro versus in-vitro or whether it will take a short time to get seedlings or a long time before you get seedlings. But you gotta understand that this might not be quite so easy a feat.

I also wanted to say that when I write this, I'm not trying to discourage you from trying anything. I'm just telling it to you like it is. I don't sugarcoat a whole lot. And I might sound like a downer sometimes, but I want you to realize what you're getting yourself into.

[Orchid Whisperer]

LB, it sounds like you have your expectations reasonably managed, and a possible seed source that is reputable.

Give it a try. After all, every seed that produces an orchid in the wild is ex vitro.

[LexyBoy]

Thanks for the comments Philip, I realise it's a long shot but it's fun to have a go. For £2.50 I'm not going to be too cut up if it comes to nothing! I'm still on the lookout for a plant but they seem oddly rare.

I received the seeds about a month ago and sowed three batches in different media:

1. Mixture of leafmould and sand
2. Medium from a pot of S. longifolia, including a bit of root
3. Sterilised sphagnum moss

They're all sealed in baggies under lights. I'll report back either way, whether I get pots of moss or something more encouraging.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If you lived in the US, I'd tell you where to get the plants. The other species of Stenoglottis are not that difficult to find here. I'm not too sure about Europe, although you could try checking myorchids.de.

I also don't know if some of the sellers here in the US can ship internationally.