chiloschista

Their morphology and life style makes the orchids of the genus Chiloschista absolutely exceptional, and not only within the Orchidacea family. And since ,apart from being extraordinary, they are also very beautiful (and miniature -sized to top it all!), they are among the most widely sought -after and most highly coveted plants collected. The Chiloschista orchids have lost the ability to form leaves(which appear only rarely,and in a reduced form), and the function of assimilation has been fully overtaken by the flat roots.The stem is also shortened to an absolute minimum and adds only a few millimeters of growth each year. New greenish roots ,typical of orchids ,grow from underneath its growth apex. The leaves then spend many years increasing in length . The root tangles grow tuickly over the support or stick out into space. Flower stalks bearing clustered inflorescence of fairly large and very showy flowers are formed at the same place as the new roots,colored mostly in various compinations of deep yellow ,orange and coffee brown. Cultivation is not as complicated as it might seem at first sight . Mount the plants onto barren bark or a wooden support (sticks of elderberry branches are recommended,as its soft bark allows the orchid roots to grow in well). The small plants need a fairly humid air, frequent misting and a well-ventilated station with an excess of indirect sunlight. The first two years after mounting are critical for the plants;once they catch on well on the support,the risk of any losses is considerably diminished . Be careful not to harm the roots while handing the plant or attaching it to a support! There are many uncertainties concerning the taxonomy of the genus Chiloschista, which numbers about ten species . The flowers appear towards the end of winter and in the spring. The plants come from the warm regions of Asia ,including southern India , Thailand ,Burma and Malayan Penninsula and Java.