Disa Auratkew

[TyroneGenade]

Yup, I selfed it.

Excellent. You will get an amazing variety of plants from that single pod.

 

[Drorchid]

Lovely! To me Disa's are the Masdevallia's of the old world!

Most people think of Disa's as being only native to the Southern Hemisphere of Africa, and mainly grow in South Africa. Although it is true that most species are native to Southern Africa, some grow in Madagascar, Central, West and East Africa. I used to live in Kenya, and I believe there are 8 native species of Disa in Kenya. Most of these species grow on isolated mountains or uplands like Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Elgon. The most northern species of Disa grows on the Arabian peninsula!

Here is a distribution map of all Disa species if interested:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...ution_map.jpg/250px-Disa_distribution_map.jpg

Robert

 

[SlipperFan]

Interesting. More widely distributed than I knew! Thanks, Robert.

 

[Secundino]

This is new to me, too! Thanks for sharing. Some day I'll try a Disa....

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

I remember the first time I read an article about the orchids of Yemen… blew my mind!

 

[John M]

Lovely! To me Disa's are the Masdevallia's of the old world!

Most people think of Disa's as being only native to the Southern Hemisphere of Africa, and mainly grow in South Africa. Although it is true that most species are native to Southern Africa, some grow in Madagascar, Central, West and East Africa. I used to live in Kenya, and I believe there are 8 native species of Disa in Kenya. Most of these species grow on isolated mountains or uplands like Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Elgon. The most northern species of Disa grows on the Arabian peninsula!

Here is a distribution map of all Disa species if interested:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...ution_map.jpg/250px-Disa_distribution_map.jpg

Robert

Thank you, Robert. That's an interesting map. I didn't realize either that Disas are represented over such a wide area. Although, a bunch of the species involved are considered by some taxonomists to belong to related; but, different Genera. I can't remember the exact number; but, there is well over 100 different species of Disa.

When I refer to Disas and talk in generalities, I'm refering only to the 5 - 7 species that are mostly "evergreen", "winter rain" and "summer blooming" and which are regularly grown in cultivation and/or used in hybridization. The species are: uniflora, cardinalis, aurata, tripetaloides, racemosa and sometimes venosa and caulescens. It is my understanding that most of the rest of the species are either of little horticultural interest; or, nearly if not absolutely impossible to grow in cultivation.

 

[John M]

Excellent. You will get an amazing variety of plants from that single pod.

Thanks Tyrone. I'm not counting my Disa seedlings just yet, though. Wally Orchard says that while species will produce lots of good seed when selfed and hybrids crossed with each other and with species will also produce lots of good seed, Disa hybrids often do not produce any seed if selfed.

After I read that in a recent note from Wally, I had a look in my pollen storage records and discovered that I do have a nice selection of pollen to use on another flower. So, I'll set another capsule soon.

 

[Drorchid]

Thank you, Robert. That's an interesting map. I didn't realize either that Disas are represented are represented over such a wide area. Although, a bunch of the species involved are considered by some taxonomists to belong to related; but, different Genus'. I can't remember the exact number; but, there is well over 100 different species of Disa.

When I refer to Disas and talk in generalities, I'm refering only to the 5 - 7 species that are mostly "evergreen", "winter rain" and "summer blooming" and which are regularly grown in cultivation and/or used in hybridization. The species are: uniflora, cardinalis, aurata, tripetaloides, racemosa and sometimes venosa and caulescens. It is my understanding that most of the rest of the species are either of little horticultural interest; or, nearly if not absolutely impossible to grow in cultivation.

Yes, I was reading in "Orchids of Kenya' by Joyce Stewart that it is almost impossible to grow any of the Kenyan species in cultivation. At most they will survive for 2 seasons. That is unfortunate as there is some interesting species as they might be interesting for hybridizing purposes to cross with some of the South African species!

Some of these are (pictures are from Joyce Stewarts book "Orchids of Kenya"):
Disa welwitschii ssp occultans:



in contrast this is a picture of the regular species of Disa welwitschii:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4017/4530571079_77491e3c32_b.jpg

Disa erubescens:



Disa scutellifera:



Robert

 

[cnycharles]

Interesting! ...but, where there's a will there's a way. People here are posting pics of cyp or other terrestrial species once thought impossible here. These pictured above may need such extreme conditions that moderate greenhouse culture makes them suffer


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[Drorchid]

Interesting! ...but, where there's a will there's a way. People here are posting pics of cyp or other terrestrial species once thought impossible here. These pictured above may need such extreme conditions that moderate greenhouse culture makes them suffer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

True! I think if you can grow the South African Disa species well, you probably will have good luck with these too. The problem with these species is that most of them grow on top of Mountains, or in the Highlands, so when people collected them, they took them down to more "Tropical" environments, were it was probably too warm for them. Also I am guessing that they need very clean water, as I am sure they get their water from clear mountain brooks...

Robert

 

[Ozpaph]

a very interesting thread. Thanks to all.