Zimbabwean orchid
 

So I bought 2 orchids from a guy that brings them in from Zimbabwe. Yup... got them on the side of the road :P I have no clue what they are or how to take proper care of them (or if they are really orchids at all!)

They grow on some type of stump that supposedly grows its own leaves at some point. The guy said to keep them in a tray of shallow water, which I have been doing but one of the orchids on one of the stumps is getting brown spots all over it. Hope I don't lose it!

So any ideas on what these unique little guys could be? He said they have white and red flowers.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...IMG_0624_1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...IMG_0627_1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...IMG_0601_1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...IMG_0607_1.jpg

I hope they haven't been collected from the wild :bad:

Well, aside from the ethical issues about the origins on this plant, I suspect that the 'stump' it's attached to may be some other epiphyte. I think keeping it in a dish of water is the problem. I think it would do well in a high humidity environment with lots of airflow. I have no idea how you can give it this but I definitely would take it out of the dish of water.

They look a lot like Bulbophyllums in the section Megaclinium. Don't know the species. These all come from Africa. Yes, not all Bulbos come from tropical and subtropical Asia and the South Pacific Islands, there're also a few in South America (Bulb ipanemense).

Here's Bulbophyllum (Megaclinium) purpureorachis:

http://www.orchidoman.net/bulbopurpureorachisplant.jpg

Another species is Bulbophyllum (Megaclinium) falcata:

http://kojimatsk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/g...um20010304.JPG

They're pretty cool and pretty weird.

Yours also looks like it's been over exposed to the sun. Try growing a bit shadier and give them enough water to stay evenly moist (which means watering everyday, preferably with the best water you can provide), and see if they'll turn green.

Whatever you do, DO NOT REMOVE THE ORCHID FROM THE "STUMP", whatever the "stump" is. I'm assuming that "stump" is some sort of weird and unusual African plant that goes dormant or something. If that "stump" is alive, you gotta find out what it really is. Unfortunately, I'm not a native African plant expert, I'm just an orchid/bromeliad dork. If you're in Cape Town, there are lots of botanists in your are. Some specialize in Disas. For example there's Hildegard Crous. She's well reknown where you live.

You could ask someone from the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden what that stump is. Send them a picture when it has leaves. Also give them a picture without leaves.

If that "stump" is dead. AGAIN DON'T REMOVE THE ORCHID FROM THE "STUMP". Leave it alone, that'll be your mount from now on, and it looks cool anyways.

Good luck.

I think your stump is the baobab tree. I'm not sure...

Does it look like this when it's growing leaves?

http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_im...ab_bonsai2.jpg

I'd just send a few pictures of the "stump" in question to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

Yes, it is definetly a Bulbophyllum.

Eric

I have no idea if the stump is dead or alive. I've only had it a few days so have never seen it with leaves but apparently they're fern-like.

I put them in a tray with a little bit of water and the stump just sucks the water up so quickly! It's actually growing roots that are reaching out. I've watered 3 times now and all the water was absorbed so quickly. The stump itself is looking much better. It's not as dry and the moss is turning green, but one of the orchids on one stump is losing leaves. Someone I know has had one of these for about 2 years and he said they regularly drop their leaves (usually after flowering) and later grow a new pair.

Ok so with the Bulbophyllum lead, I think I've found it. Bulbophyllum sandersoni

http://www.orchidspecies.com/orphotd...oelliottii.jpg

According to the Flora of Zimbabwe site it is a common epiphyte (herbaceous perennial) that grows in high rainfall areas. They're supposed to be a yellow-green colour but mine do look a bit too yellow so just keeping them in a high light area with no direct sunlight.

I'm pretty sure your "stump" is very much alive. Keep growing it and when it sprouts leaves, send a picture to a good botanical garden for identification. As you can see, if you're growing the "stump" it's growing on, you're also growing your Bulbos at the same time.

Another reason that I say not to remove the orchid from the "stump" is also the fact that the "stump" it's growing on probably has a special fungus that's helping the orchids grow strong (the fungus lives in the orchid's roots and it's natural).

Yes, the leaves on Bulbophyllums do drop off. Particularly if the growths are old. Don't worry about it though.

Fern like leaves might indicate that the stump is a Jacaranda... might not be, but just thought I would throw it out there.

The "stump" does look lke some sort of tropical fern rhizome