Catasetum atratum is found in Brazil, from São Paulo State southward, specifically from Laguna (Santa Catarina State), Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais State), and São Leopoldo and Lagoa Itapeva (Rio Grande do Sul State). It grows in trees in a subtropical regions.
Catasetum atratum also called as The Lustrous Black Catasetum, Catasetum adnatum, Catasetum atratum var. mentosum, Catasetum mentosum, Catasetum pallidum, Monachanthus atratus, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by John Lindley in 1838.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM ATRATUM ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum atratum is found in Brazil, from São Paulo State southward, specifically from Laguna (Santa Catarina State), Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais State), and São Leopoldo and Lagoa Itapeva (Rio Grande do Sul State). It grows in trees in a subtropical regions.
It is a large sized, warm to hot growing epiphyte with fusiform, clustered, 15 cm long and 2 cm wide pseudobulbs that when young are enveloped by papery sheaths that disintegrate over time and carrying to 9, linear-oblanceolate, medium green, plicate, 50 cm long, 8 cm wide leaves with three prominent veins.
The Lustrous Black Catasetum blooms in the late spring and summer on a male, horizontal to arching, basal, 36 cm long, 12 to 15 flowered inflorescence and a pendant rachis all arising with a new pseudobulb and carrying fragrant, waxy flowers. The male flowers are 38 x 48 mm with coloration of sepals green with dense minute dark purple spots; petals green with larger, more conspicuous spots of the same color; lip apex and inside of cavity cream-colored; column light green. The female flowers sometimes intermingling with male flowers with coloration more uniformly greenish or yellowish. Flower color and structure quite variable, according to the literature, but generally green with dark purple spotting. The critical identifying feature is the midlobe of the lip, which is recurved and conspicuous.
CATASETUM ATRATUM 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 atratum need 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:
The climate in their natural habitat is subtropical. The terrain is hilly, with hot, humid air collecting at the base of the hills, then rising and condensing into mist or rain usually late in the day. The forest becomes saturated, with low temperatures at night, but in the morning the sun's rays and drier breezes promote evaporation. The dry season in winter is short, and nighttime humidity is high throughout the year. Temperatures range from a maximum 30°C to a minimum 10°C. In cultivation, 18°C is the ideal minimum night temperature.
Humidity:
The Lustrous Black 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 atratum 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. This plant can also mounted on wood. This option presupposes that the plant is sufficiently strong, that it is not so large as to be unwieldy when hanging from its mount, that the grower can provide adequate humidity for it during the growing season, that the conversion to mounting is done at the very beginning of the growth cycle, and that the species is known to adapt readily to this cultural practice.
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:
When the Catasetum atratum plants are leafless and no new growths are visible, the grower must respect their state of dormancy. Watering frequency should be reduced during dormancy. Fertilization should stop completely during this period. In the springtime, at the beginning of the growth cycle, water should not be made regularly available for the newly developing roots until the new growth is at least 5 cm tall.
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