Trichocentrum microchilum is native to Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. This orchid grows as a ground or rock, and is found in hollows filled with organic remains on the rocks and solidified lava, at heights of 600-2300 m...
Trichocentrum microchilum also called as The Small-Lipped Trichocentrum, Lophiaris microchila, Oncidium funcki, Oncidium microchilum, is a species of the genus Trichocentrum. This species was described by Mark Wayne Chase & Norris Hagan Williams in 2001.
IDENTIFY TRICHOCENTRUM MICROCHILUM
Trichocentrum microchilum is native to Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. This orchid grows as a ground or rock, and is found in hollows filled with organic remains on the rocks and solidified lava, at heights of 600-2300 m. In Mexico, it was encountered only in the State of Chiapas. In Guatemala, it can be found near the city of Guatemala and north of Cuilco in the Huehuetenango department, two-thirds of the road up towards Cerro Chiquihui above Carrizal. In El Salvador, he was found on the Izalco volcano, at an altitude of 600-800 m.
It is a small sized, warm to cool terrestrial or lithophyte, which reaching 15-28 cm in height, with small, ovoid or spherical, strongly compressed, 2.5-3.5 cm long and 2-3 cm wide pseudobulbs completely enveloped by several, imbricating, stiff, close, triangular, leafless sheaths and carrying a single, apical, elliptic to elliptic-oblong, acute, coriaceous, olive colored, 12.5-25.0 cm long and 3.0-6.5 cm wide leaf that is keeled below.
The Small-Lipped Trichocentrum blooms in the summer with a densly 4 to 8 flowered, to 150 cm long, multi-branched panicle with long-lasting flowers arising on a new growth. The flowers are up to 3.2 cm wide. The flakes of both whorls are greenish-brown on the outside, reddish-brown on the inner and often have a narrow, irregular, yellow edge. They are slightly serrated at the base and have fairly wavy edges. The fairly wide, rounded, elliptical-oval petals of the outer whorl are concave, with bulges on the outside, and the dorsal petal is slightly wider than the lateral petals. The dorsal petals bend slightly forward to create a hood over the spine. The side flakes of the outer whorl are widely distributed. Petals of inner whorl, narrow-oval to broadly oval-elliptical, are shorter and narrower than the petals of the outer whorl and directed forward on both sides of the spine. The 3-segment lip has rounded, convex side plots that are white with a few purple patches at the base, and the middle plots are reduced to a small white appendage with a purple or red-purple spot and a somewhat kidney-colored comb with yellow and brown spots at the front, and reddish-brown at the back. The rod is 0.5-0.6 cm long and a pair of triangular, white wings at the apex.
TRICHOCENTRUM MICROCHILUM CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Trichocentrum microchilum needs a light level of 20000-30000 lux.
Temperature:
The average temperature of the summer day is 21-22 ° C, and the summer night is 13-14 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 8 ° C. In spring, the average day temperature is 23-24 ° C, and the night 10-13 ° C giving 11-13 ° C difference in daily.
Humidity:
The Small-Lipped Trichocentrum needs the humidity of 75-80% in summer and autumn, falling to about 65% in late winter and spring.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
You can use any loose and airy substrate.
Watering:
From late spring until autumn, the precipitation is moderate to heavy. The monthly average then drops quite rapidly, starting a 5-6 month dry season lasting all winter until the next spring. The cultivated plants should often be watered during active growth, but their roots must dry quickly. When the young growths reach maturity in autumn, the amount of water should be reduced.
Fertilizer:
During the active growth, the plants should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids.
Rest period:
Trichocentrum microchilum require less water in winter and should dry out between watering, but should not remain completely dry for a long period of time. Occasional fogging in the early morning between light watering from time to time should provide enough moisture. The amount of water should be increased if the pseudobulbs get too wrinkled or the plant shows other signs of stress.
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