On Sat, 12 Nov 2005 15:13:08 -0800, Kenni Judd wrote
(in article ):

Ray: I don't think loss of the velamen coating necessarily means the root
itself is dead. Mostly in the vandas (since those are the roots I see most
of), I have noticed that sometimes very dead-looking roots, even just the
bare "wires," will start to grow new velamen and growing tips.

Kenni

"Ray" wrote in message
. ..
I may be wrong (I don't think so, but you never know), but if the root has
lost its fleshy part, and all you're left with is the "wiry core", they
are
not "OK", but certainly are "less healthy", they're dead!

They might function to provide a mechanical anchor when repotting, but
they
do nothing as far as absorbing water or nutrition for the plant.

I've asked before, and will again. Does anyone know of a good treatise or
chapter on the appearance and behavior of orchid roots, especially with
regard to pruning at re-potting time? I've always just whacked off the soggy,
dark ones, and the extremely dry ones with fragmented velamen.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon D70