Catasetum ariquemense is found in Brazil, Rondônia State, municipality of Ariquemes. It grows on various dead trees and living palms in rainforests at elevations of 100 to 300 meters above sea level.
Catasetum ariquemense also called as The Ariquemes Catasetum, Catasetum ariquemense f. viride, Catasetum ariquemense var. viride, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by Francisco E.L.de Miranda & Kleber Garcia de Lacerda in 1992.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM ARIQUEMENSE ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum ariquemense is found in Brazil, Rondônia State, municipality of Ariquemes. It grows on various dead trees and living palms in rainforests at elevations of 100 to 300 meters above sea level.
It is a small to medium sized, hot growing epiphyte with fusiform, often slightly curved, very furrowed with age, 8 cm long and 3.5 cm wide pseudobulbs enveloped completely by imbricate leafless and leaf bearing above sheaths and carrying oblanceolate, wavy edged, plicate, 25 cm long and 4 cm wide leaves.
The Ariquemes Catasetum blooms in the fall on a male, almost horizontal then pendant, 18 cm long, to 20 flowered, racemose inflorescence. The male flowers are 31 mm long with coloration of sepals and petals green-rose with small purple spots (light to dark brown spots in other clones); lip greenish with tiny brown spots near the fringes; column and antennae green to rosy. The female inflorescence is 6 cm long, erect and 4 to 6 flowered. The female flowers are up to 60 mm long with coloration light green without spots.
CATASETUM ARIQUEMENSE ORCHID PLANT 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:
Catasetum ariquemense are sun-loving plant and needs a light level of 30000-60000 lux. Unless the strong air movement found in the natural habitat can be duplicated, however, the grower should provide some shade (40-60 % shade). This species can be grown under lights if sufficient light intensity can be provided, and the plant certainly can be summered outdoors if their moisture requirements can be met.
Temperature:
In their natural habitat, the climate is evenly hot, moist, tropical (minimum temperature about 20°C). This climate is almost the same year-round, with high humidity at night, even in the dry season, which is relatively short dry period of 4 months. The nighttime temperatures rarely fall below 18°C, with daytime highs generally from 29 to 35°C. The important thing is to maintain evenly warm conditions, and for this orchid the closer the night minimum is to 21°C, the better the plants will respond.
Humidity:
The Ariquemes Catasetum tolerate an environment with 40 - 60 % relative humidity during their growing season, but for optimal development of new growth and flowering, 70 % is recommended.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Catasetum ariquemense can be grown in pot, container or wooden basket with fir bark, osmunda, tree fern fiber, charcoal, and sphagnum, in various proportions or combined with still other ingredients such as sponge rock, perlite, leaf mold, peat, and bark screenings as substrate.
It is recommended to repot every year and never wait more than two years. The optimal time for potting or repotting is when new growth on a plant emerging from dormancy is about 5 cm tall and the nubs have developed into new roots that are reaching for support.
Watering:
In its natural habitat it receives rainfall frequently even while dormant. Mounted, basket-grown, and unconventionally potted plant may be watered every sunny day during the growing season, provided conditions are such that they dry off relatively quickly. In the case of conventionally potted adult plants, it should not be necessary to water more than once or, at most, twice a week. This species like to dry out at least slightly between waterings.
Fertilizer:
Fertilize with an appropriate formulation at least every week during the growing season, or fertilize with a weak formula every time the plants are watered. It is important to begin regular applications of high-nitrogen fertilizer (such as 10-5-5) with a full range of trace elements. As the leaves begin to unfurl, and well before flowering, add a high-phosphorus formula to develop big, strong pseudobulbs capable of producing robust inflorescences. Any of the soluble products with a large second-digit number (for example, 3-12-6) constitute a good source of phosphorus.
Rest period:
Catasetum ariquemense have a relatively short dormant period between leaf fall and new growth, and sometimes no dormancy at all, so the likelihood that at least some of their basic root system will survive from one growing season to the next increases. For this reason it is desirable to maintain a watering schedule, albeit reduced, during dormancy.
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