Myrmephytum beccarii Seedling

[SubRosa]

I started 10 seeds about a month ago, and got 60% germination. However half of those petered out, possibly due to damping off. Two of the remaining seedlings are going strong, and a third seems to be developing, but much more slowly. Anyway here's the first seedling to shake off the seed husk and show its firstset of leaves:

 

[DragonsEye]

Hope they grow well for you. I have a couple antplant seedlings (a Hydnophytum and a Myrmecodia) but they are slooooooooooooooooow with regards to growth for me.

 

[SubRosa]

My third one is about 1/4 the size of the other two. The seller thinks the plant my seeds came from is a polyploid, because it grew much faster than the rest of the ones from the same batch of seed. I got a Myrmecodia from Andy's Orchids (tentative id is M. tuberosa) that has grown very quickly. I've had it less than a year and the caudex is close to double the size of when I got it, and it's put on at least a dozen new leaves. Seems like once they get a bit of size things progress more quickly.

 

[anramitaco]

Wow! I didn't know anyone other than A. Wistuba had Myrmephytum in cultivation. *drooling*
I hope they do well for you!

 

[SubRosa]

Wow! I didn't know anyone other than A. Wistuba had Myrmephytum in cultivation. *drooling*
I hope they do well for you!

There are at least two other people I know of in the US who have them, both members of Andreas' Ant Plant Forum. You should stop on over! http://myrmecodia.invisionzone.com/

 

[anramitaco]

I'm already a member (Chris)! Great forum, very informative.

 

[carbonetc]

I have one from Wistuba. It's still tiny, of course. But it sounds like there are a bunch of Myrmephytum species people are working with that could be in cultivation within the next five years.