Catasetum juruenense is found in Brazil, headwaters of the Juruena River in Mato Grosso State. It grows only on dead trees in gallery forest along the river.
Catasetum juruenense also called as The Rio Juruena Catasetum, Catasetum juruenense var mansfeldianum, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by Frederico Carlos Hoehne in 1915.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM JURUENENSE ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum juruenense is found in Brazil, headwaters of the Juruena River in Mato Grosso State. It grows only on dead trees in gallery forest along the river.
It is a medium sized, warm growing with clustered, fusiform, to 10 cm long and 2 cm wide pseudobulbs carrying linear-lanceolate, medium green, plicate, to 35 cm long and 5 cm wide leaves.
The Rio Juruena Catasetum blooms in the fall and winter on a basal, suberect, racemose, 28 cm long, 9 flowered, long lasting inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb. The flowers are 35 × 25 mm with coloration of pedicels green-brown; peduncle green at the base, increasingly green-brown towards the rachis; floral segments dark green-brown with indistinct darker speckling; lip green-brown outside, green-cream inside; column whitish; antennae pearly white. The female flowers are not seen.
The key to identify this species is the small plant with a resupinate, concave, heart shaped lip, with margins thick and (usually) toothed and the antennae short, with their tips touching. The var. mansfeldianum having flowers slightly larger than those of the species and with red spots.
CATASETUM JURUENENSE 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 juruenense 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:
The climate in their natural habitat is essentially continental. The dry season is long and the humidity is very low throughout much of the year. Days are hot and dry, while nights are fairly cool. The terrain is typically tropical to subtropical savannah country, with the surface soil shallow and incapable of sustaining large trees. Temperatures range from a maximum 40°C to a minimum 10°C. In cultivation, 18°C is the ideal minimum night temperature.
Humidity:
The Rio Juruena 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 juruenense is best to grow in 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:
When the Catasetum juruenense 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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