Do these names refer the same plants? I have been growing a plant of
Ascocentrum pumilum for several years. It is very small and the leaves are
needle-like and resemble pine needles. I just received some Ascolabium
pumilum pieces and these have leaves that look more like Ascocentrum
miniatum leaves. I had concluded before buying the Ascolabium that these
two names were synonyms but now I am confused again.

Al wrote:

Do these names refer the same plants? I have been growing a plant of
Ascocentrum pumilum for several years. It is very small and the leaves are
needle-like and resemble pine needles. I just received some Ascolabium
pumilum pieces and these have leaves that look more like Ascocentrum
miniatum leaves. I had concluded before buying the Ascolabium that these
two names were synonyms but now I am confused again.




http://www.orchideen-journal.de/pdf/artikel4_2000.pdf

If you can read german... I used to be able to, I can't anymore (it has
been ~20 years since I've tried seriously). Anyway, unless somebody
corrects me, the practical upshot of the article is that Ascocentrum
pumilum (Averyanov?) has been moved to 'Ascocentropsis pumilum' (Senghas
& Schildhauer). This is the opinion of these two persons, whom I
personally have not heard of, but I don't know beans (or peas, or
lettuce, for that matter). They consider the possibility that it might
be a Robequetia, but dismiss it. And there is something in there about
Ascolabium pumilum (something about Asctm. pumilum being called that for
20 years, or 20 years ago, or... It is in the same sentence at
least...). It is a PDF, or I might try babelfish on it.

Something in there about 'never having seen so many false names
(mislabelled plants?) as in Bangkok' (ok, it probably says something
else...) I thought that was interesting.

Anyway, whatever you have sounds pretty neat. As does whatever this
article describes. If you are making copies (of the plant), sign me up
for one or two. Seriously, I'm really getting into Ascocentrums (not
vandas, not hybrids, just Asctm... weird, huh?). Asctm.
christensonianum is pretty darn neat, if you don't already have it.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

Thank you.

I do have a Asctm christensonianum that has been growing here for several
years. It grows very fast. It is tall and narrow. It has gotten very tall
on a single stem, almost 12" I would guess without going into the greenhouse
to refresh my memory of the plant. The leaf span is about 6" so it kind of
looks like a Renanthera isosepela (at least it looks like the ones inmy
greenhouse). It still has some flowers on it from a recent bloom on 4 or
five spikes. This year I did notice that it is starting a second stem (a
basal keiki) from the bottom of the plant. It is mounted on a small log and
came from Andy's Orchids. I tried to get another one and failing that I
tried to self this one last year. I didn't leave the capsule on long enough
and got no seed. This year I didn't have time to try again. It has a cool
little pink flower.

I also tried to self my version of Ascocentrum pumilum but the flowers are
very small and I probably put the pollen in the wrong place. I priced
jeweler's magnifying glasses so i could have my hands free and still see the
stigma on some of my miniatures but decided to buy a new camera instead.

The Ascocentrum pumilum has just finished flowering for this year too. It
really looks like a whorl of pine needle leaves. I noticed it is starting a
third basal keiki this year so it is becoming a little clump. It is a very
small plant.

After I finish some chores I will play with my new camera and post some
pictures of these plants on abpo.


"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Al wrote:

Do these names refer the same plants? I have been growing a plant of
Ascocentrum pumilum for several years. It is very small and the leaves
are
needle-like and resemble pine needles. I just received some Ascolabium
pumilum pieces and these have leaves that look more like Ascocentrum
miniatum leaves. I had concluded before buying the Ascolabium that
these
two names were synonyms but now I am confused again.




http://www.orchideen-journal.de/pdf/artikel4_2000.pdf

If you can read german... I used to be able to, I can't anymore (it has
been ~20 years since I've tried seriously). Anyway, unless somebody
corrects me, the practical upshot of the article is that Ascocentrum
pumilum (Averyanov?) has been moved to 'Ascocentropsis pumilum' (Senghas
& Schildhauer). This is the opinion of these two persons, whom I
personally have not heard of, but I don't know beans (or peas, or
lettuce, for that matter). They consider the possibility that it might
be a Robequetia, but dismiss it. And there is something in there about
Ascolabium pumilum (something about Asctm. pumilum being called that for
20 years, or 20 years ago, or... It is in the same sentence at
least...). It is a PDF, or I might try babelfish on it.

Something in there about 'never having seen so many false names
(mislabelled plants?) as in Bangkok' (ok, it probably says something
else...) I thought that was interesting.

Anyway, whatever you have sounds pretty neat. As does whatever this
article describes. If you are making copies (of the plant), sign me up
for one or two. Seriously, I'm really getting into Ascocentrums (not
vandas, not hybrids, just Asctm... weird, huh?). Asctm.
christensonianum is pretty darn neat, if you don't already have it.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

You know who'd know would be Andy Phillips at Andy's Orchids. Harry
responds to questions. Failing that Jim Hamilton at Petite Plaisance
would also know. (He's on the web too)

K Barrett

Al wrote:

Do these names refer the same plants? I have been growing a plant of
Ascocentrum pumilum for several years. It is very small and the leaves are
needle-like and resemble pine needles. I just received some Ascolabium
pumilum pieces and these have leaves that look more like Ascocentrum
miniatum leaves. I had concluded before buying the Ascolabium that these
two names were synonyms but now I am confused again.

My Ascocentrum pumilum came from Andy's Orchids several years ago. I will
try to post leaf comparisons of two. They may be the same species and the
pieces labeled Ascolabium pumilum that I just received (from Thailand via
David Hunt)) may have just been broken off of a more robust and more
succulent-leafed cultivar.

I'll post them on the web and add a link for those people deprived of abpo.

FWIW: I did not import these directly but bought them from David Hunt in
Texas who did the importing and dealt with import permits and CITIES
do-do-documentation. For the most part these newly imported plants that
came into the country through Texas, were repackaged there and then and
hitched a ride on a United States postal truck for the last leg of their
journey to me in Virginia arrived looking just like I expected them to look.
A few more rules to live by: "Newly imported plants are not pretty" and "It
ain't dead until its dust." I expect almost everything to survive but I
doubt any will bloom anytime soon.

"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
You know who'd know would be Andy Phillips at Andy's Orchids. Harry
responds to questions. Failing that Jim Hamilton at Petite Plaisance
would also know. (He's on the web too)

K Barrett

Al wrote:

Do these names refer the same plants? I have been growing a plant of
Ascocentrum pumilum for several years. It is very small and the leaves
are
needle-like and resemble pine needles. I just received some pieces and
these have leaves that look more like Ascocentrum
miniatum leaves. I had concluded before buying the Ascolabium that
these
two names were synonyms but now I am confused again.