leaf tip splitting

[myxodex]

My Paph liemianum appears to be growing quite well but the new leaf has split about 1cm (1/2 inch) at the tip along the mid-rib (if that is what it is called). I have had this happen to two of my other paphs but it has been less extensive on these. Does anyone know what causes this ?

Cheers,
Tim

 

[cdub]

I believe low humidity causes this.

 

[Heather]

Low humidity would be my guess. Let me know if you need a 5 or 10 gallon humidifier - I happen to have a couple lying around...

 

[myxodex]

Thanks cdub and Heather,

I suspect you are right. If my hygrometer is to be believed the humidity in my growing area is the range 60-80 % (average 67%), particulary this year we've had a wet "summer" here in the UK ... however it has dropped to 40% on a few warm dry days and the liemianum split it's leaf after I moved it to the side nearest the fan ... I guess that the wind from the fan would exacerbate the effects of low humidity.

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Mrs. Paph]

...when I was in ND I could hardly ever get the humidity over 40% and I never noticed leaf splitting. Maybe since you Usually have great humidity they were growing faster and the leaves spilt because they were still growing quickly when there was a sudden drop in available moisture...? You'd think they'd just pause cell expansion til the humidity rose again since it's so closely tired to turgor pressure, which you need water to have...or maybe the sudden difference between internal moisture(and turgor pressure) to the low outside moisture level disturbed the plants enough to cause splitting? Wow, you really can't even tell I'm trying to procrastinate studying for my Gen 603 test at 4 today...I don't even particularly like Physiology, yet I'm thinking about this instead of synteny mapping