Anathallis obovata - South American bonnet orchid flowers are 0.3 cm in diameter, pale yellow in color, with an orange foot on the column...
Anathallis obovata also called as South American bonnet orchid, Humboltia obovata, Pleurothallis obovata, Specklinia obovata, Anathallis citrina, Anathallis dendrophila, Anathallis densiflora, Anathallis fasciculata, Anathallis guentheri, Anathallis micrantha, Anathallis osmosperma, Humboltia dendrophila, Pleurothallis albida, Pleurothallis brachyantha, Pleurothallis citrina, Pleurothallis dendrophila, Pleurothallis densiflora, Pleurothallis densiflora var. parvifolia, Pleurothallis fasciculata, Pleurothallis guentheri, Pleurothallis modestiflora, Pleurothallis octomeriiformis, Pleurothallis osmosperma, Pleurothallis stenoglossa, Specklinia citrina, Stelis fasciculiflora, is a species of the genus Anathallis. This species was described by Alec Melton Pridgeon and Mark Wayne Chase in 2001.
ANATHALLIS OBOVATA - SOUTH AMERICAN BONNET ORCHID DESCRIPTION
Anathallis obovata is native to Argentina Northeast, Bolivia, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela. It is found growing on tree trunks in wet montane forests or piedmont forests at elevations of 500 to 1800 meters above sea level.
It is a small sized, warm to cool growing unifoliate epiphyte which reaching up to 9 cm in height with erect, slender, 4 cm long ramicauls that are enveloped basally by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths and another below the middle. The single leaf is apical, erect, coriaceous, elliptical to elliptical obovate, subacute to obtuse, cuneate below into the petiolate base, 5 cm long including 0.6 cm long petiole.
South American bonnet orchid blooms in the fall and winter from the short fascicle of capillary, fractiflex, laxly 3 to 4 flowered inflorescence with the flowers held close to the leaf base. The flowers are 0.3 cm in diameter, pale yellow in color, with an orange foot on the column. Sepals are trinerved; lateral sepals are connate up to the middle. Petals are acuminate, with curved edges; disc with thin lamina on each side of the sulcate portion. Column arched.
ANATHALLIS OBOVATA - SOUTH AMERICAN BONNET ORCHID 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:
Anathallis obovata needs a light level of 12000-18000 lux. The light should be filtered or dispersed, and the plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon hours. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
In summer, the average day temperature is 27-29 °C, and the average night temperature is 21-23 °C, with a daily amplitude of 6-8 ° C. In winter, the average day temperature is 25-26 °C, and the average night temperature is 18-20 °C, with a daily amplitude of 6-8 ° C.
Humidity:
South American bonnet orchid needs the humidity of probably around 80% throughout the year. Too dry air has a negative effect on the development of the plant: its growth is inhibited, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out. The higher temperature, the higher the humidity should be, and the higher the humidity, the more often and longer it is necessary to ventilate the room where the plants are contained, otherwise the probability of rotting and various kinds of fungal diseases. Good air movement is essential while the plants are in leaf and growing.
Substrate, growing media:
Anathallis obovata can be grown in small pots or baskets or mounted on pieces of tree ferns with peat moss pillows around the roots, with high humidity ensured and daily watering in the summer, during the dry and hot periods it may be necessary to water several times a day.
These plants are also grown in pots or baskets using a very loose, fast-drying substrate, such as fir bark or chopped tree fern fibers. Also, the materials that release the substrate but often retain a portion of the moisture, e.g. perlite, are often added to such a mixture. The addition of charcoal also improves the permeability of the substrate, and also protects against acidification.
Repotting:
South American bonnet orchid react badly to any manipulations, so they should be repotted or divided only when absolutely necessary. However, because these plants do not tolerate also the decaying soil around the roots, they should be repotted immediately when the substrate begins to decompose. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a substrate such as tree fern fibers, because these are slowly decomposed. If repotting is done at the time when new roots begin to appear, the plant will be accepted and rooted in the shortest possible time. If the plant was divided, it may take up to two years to recover.
Watering:
Anathallis obovata should be watered abundantly during the period of intensive growth from the summer to the beginning of winter, but excellent drainage should be ensured so that the ground around the roots is never desiccated or soggy.
Fertilizer:
During the active growth, South American bonnet orchid should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. From spring to mid-summer, you can use fertilizer enriched with nitrogen, then switching to phosphorus-enriched fertilizer in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Anathallis obovata need less water in the winter, especially if they grow under the conditions of a dark, short day that occurs in moderate latitudes. However, these plants should never be completely dried up. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until new growths appear and a more abundant spring watering begins.
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