upgrade: D. schizandra

[mass]

glad you like it Ryan. pulled your pup out of the hidden clump: http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n575/mass2256/IMG_4100_zps55d3502a.jpg

 

[bluemax]

'Lookin' great, Mass. Do I not see 2 flowers coming on that new stalk in your photo? If so you could possibly produce seed from one of them by applying pollen from the other.

 

[RL7836]

pollen and stigma mature in different time frames to prevent self pollination. The term for this is dichogamous. Sort of like D. regia.

My recollections are a bit foggy but I don't think that was really an issue with D. schizandra. The flowers stayed open for a while with several open at the same time (for me - the issue was I just forgot to even try pollination - ooops) - there was plenty of pollen around. As you can see in the pic, the flower structure doesn't look like it would push the pollen onto the stigma when the flower closes - like many dews.

Mass - are you feeding them? I was feeding two plants when they both developed stalks. I stopped feeding one & it immediately stopped any further development - never did get a flower on that one.

 

[goods]

'Lookin' great, Mass. Do I not see 2 flowers coming on that new stalk in your photo? If so you could possibly produce seed from one of them by applying pollen from the other.

This would work potentially, but you would have to determine which organ matures first. If the pollen matures first, does it have a shelf life to prevent pollination when the ovaries mature?

 

[Archer15]

Thanks for the info Mass

You plants look amazing. I will be getting some next week. I hope I can get them to grow half as good as yours.

 

[kulamauiman]

My recollections are a bit foggy but I don't think that was really an issue with D. schizandra. The flowers stayed open for a while with several open at the same time (for me - the issue was I just forgot to even try pollination - ooops) - there was plenty of pollen around. As you can see in the pic, the flower structure doesn't look like it would push the pollen onto the stigma when the flower closes - like many dews.

.

Structurally very similar to the ones on D. adelea. Might be morphological self incompatibility blocks built in. See that very possible with both species. however I am seeing seed production with the adelea by not only swabing pollen around on one flower but back and forth between older and younger flowers. Similarly I see the flowers of adelea lasting a long time. Might be mechanism to ensure pollen produced and constantly produced to pollinate the younger flowers. Similar mechanisms I have seen in aeroids....

 

[mass]

thank you for the kind words Archer.

Mark: don't think I have a steady enough hand to try and pollinate those little flowers.

Ron: I don't feed these guys. the food tends to mold too quickly in these sealed containers.
I did however up the light levels a week before the flower appeared.

 

[biologyboy98]

Those are beautiful plants. Where did you get them?

 

[Rball]

ok so back to my question lol can you cross and of these 3 species?

 

[NatchGreyes]

I've seen crosses of D. schizandra and prolifera. I have not seen other crosses. (I'm not sure if that cross is fertile and could cross with D. adelae).

I've always had some D. adelae plants and learned, for whoever asked it, that, yes, if you expose its roots to light, it will grow plantlets along it. Looks like D. schizandra does the same thing. I have not yet tried with my D. prolifera.

Regarding D. prolifera, I've learned that if you let the flower touch the live sphagnum it's growing in, preferably holding it down with a piece of sphagnum, it will sprout a new plantlet that will grow to near adult size within two-three months. I think I've had 100% success with this propagation method.

Typically, I keep my two Queensland sisters (I'm still looking for D. schizandra) in with my Neps., so they get the same fertilizer sprayed on their leaves as the Neps, but I make sure that they don't get any coffee treatment.

 

[mass]

I've seen D. prolifera x schizandra.. but that's it so far for hybrids.

 

[NatchGreyes]

Well, if I can get the prolifera and adelae to flower at the same time, I'll be sure to try to cross them.