Catasetum tabulare is found in Colombia. It grows near the Cauca River as it flows through a zone of rain forest, riverine swamps, and jungle characterized by tropical climate with abundant rainfall at elevations around 1000 meters.
Catasetum tabulare also called as The Table-Like Catasetum, Catasetum finetianum, Catasetum pallidiflorum, Catasetum pallidum, Catasetum rhamphastos, Catasetum tabulare var brachyglossum, Catasetum tabulare var finetianum, Catasetum tabulare var laeve, Catasetum tabulare var rhamphastos, Catasetum tabulare var rhinophorum, Catasetum tabulare var rugosum, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by John Lindley in 1840.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM TABULARE ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum tabulare is found in Colombia. It grows near the Cauca River as it flows through a zone of rain forest, riverine swamps, and jungle characterized by tropical climate with abundant rainfall at elevations around 1000 meters.
It is a medium sized, epiphytic species with to 16 cm long and 3 cm wide, fusiform, clustered pseudobulbs that carry 8, to 45 cm long and 8.5 cm wide, leathery leaves with 3 prominent veins, many others less so.
The Table-Like Catasetum blooms in the late spring and summer on a suberect, basal, 45 cm long, 2 to 6 flowered, racemose inflorescence with extremely fragrant, fleshy, flat opening flowers that arises from a newly formed pseudobulb. The male flowers are 92 x 82 mm in their natural position with coloration of sepals and petals light green with dense red-brown spotting, heavier on the underside; lip callus white on top; pearly, glossy white around the cavity opening and inside the cavity; basal portion of the pseudostigma on the column also pearly, glossy white with inconspicuous spotting; column light yellow-green above the pseudostigma; underside of lip cavity spotted, with a pinkish cast. The female flowers are 67 x 45 mm with green color.
Some varieties: var. brachyglossum (callus smooth, sides sinuate), var. finetianum (callus smooth, straight), var. laeve (callus smooth, edges not sinuate), var. pallidum (callus smooth, midlobe of the lip obovate), var. rhamphastos (callus smooth, ovate, occupying almost the entire surface of the midlobe), var. rhinophorum (callus warty all over), and var. rugosum (callus warty on top, toothed in front, and oblong).
The key to identify this species is the large flowers, long and slender pseudobulbs, callus large, flat, and long triangular on the rigid disc of the lip.
CATASETUM TABULARE 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 tabulare 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, and tropical. This climate is almost the same year-round, with high humidity at night, even in the dry season, which is relatively short. 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 Table-Like 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 tabulare can be grown in pot 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. The 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 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 tabulare 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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