Chiloschista species

[Ron-NY]

Picked this up a couple of years ago from a Thai vendor at the NY show. It is a leafless orchid. I have it growing on a piece of plastic wire cloth

[nabakov5]

I've almost bought one of these about a hundred times, but never have because they are expensive and I'm not certain I could care for it well. Can you tell us how you care for it? when it blooms? how often? I've always thought this orchid might work well in a terrarium setting. what do you think?
-cat

[Ron-NY]

I've almost bought one of these about a hundred times, but never have because they are expensive and I'm not certain I could care for it well. Can you tell us how you care for it? when it blooms? how often? I've always thought this orchid might work well in a terrarium setting. what do you think?
-cat

I have it growing intermediate but I assume it might like it a bit warmer. I have two of these one growing in Paph light the other in Catt light and I haven't see a difference in growth or flowering. It get's watered almost daily in warm weather and 2-3X a week in winter. It gets fairly good humidity and good air circulation. It may do well in an orchidarium. I don't think I paid mor than $15 for this.

[nabakov5]

cool thanks. I don't have an orchid dealer close, so most of my purchases are done on auctions. These guys rarely go for under forty bucks there. i might try one out. yours is gorgeous. i love the teeny tiny orchids.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

That is cool. Thanks for the photo of the plant too. That really makes a huge difference. It is so strange, but cool.

Cheers,
BD

[jtlqh]

This is very cool.

[Molly Taco]

Wow I like it !!!
Cin

[Piper]

That's very neat, Ron!

Orchid roots are photosynthetic. Note the green chloroplasts. That's why leafless orchids can survive. They must have developed further adaptations to make up for a lack of leaves, but I don't know that much about them. Any thoughts, Ron?

McJulie

[Ron-NY]

That's very neat, Ron!

Orchid roots are photosynthetic. Note the green chloroplasts. That's why leafless orchids can survive. They must have developed further adaptations to make up for a lack of leaves, but I don't know that much about them. Any thoughts, Ron?

McJulie

I don't know much about them as well but I would suspect that the chloroplasts developed in the roots first and then there wasn't a need for leaves. Occasionally it will develop a small residual leaf. There must have been a factor that gave the plant an biological advantage for not having leaves, whether that was a dryer period and not having leaves decreased transpiration of water out of the plant (similar to the evolution of cacti or some other factor)

Most leafless orchids are not easily detected in their natural habitat. They tend to have their own niche and grow on tree trunks which expose them to higher light levels but also more drying. Some other genera have adapted by developing tetrate leaves to compensate for this.

Protection from cold could also be a factor in some leafless orchids.

It would make some interesting research.

[murgdan]

I love it---haven't seen one of these before. The roots make me think of a spider web.