Noid 'Noid'?

[WIB]

For a demonstration on repotting orchids at my beloved, local, hands-in-the-soil garden club I have picked up a couple of spent plants from local garden centers. The problem with this one is that it's Noid 'Noid.' I assume it's from the Oncidium alliance. Any ideas?

[Vivienne]

I'd have to agree - in the Oncidium alliance, but that's about it until it blooms. Nice plant!

[cupcake]

I agree and what a strong plant! Lucky B!

[Tobi]

The leaves look like the Oncidium alliance, but I'm not seeing the typical flat
green pseudobulbs that most have. I know that the Psychopsis have small
pseudobulbs and the Tolumnia have no noticable ones. Are they there and just
not visible in the pics?

[WIB]

Tobi, That was my puzzlement. When I looked at the base of the leaves, I didn't see anything resembling pseudobulbs. It's more of a fan of leaves, faintly reminiscent of a Cymbidium, but not with even the onion-bulb swelling of a Cymbidium (which it's obviously not). It also looks faintly like a Phragmipedium, with the fan of leaves, which it's also obviously not. The roots sing "Oncidium," but the absence of anything I'd call a pseudobulb got me ruminating. -- Bill

[Tobi]

Bill,
If the roots are on the thin side and don't have any noticable pseudobulbs,
then maybe Tolumnia. The only other thin rooted fan type leaves would be Miltonia/Miltoniopsis, but they really don't resemble that either. It will be
interesting in what some of our long time growers think it is.

[kmarch]

The plant characteristics are all wrong for it to be a Tolumnia. Here's a pic of a typical Tolumnia. Also these do not look like 'thin' roots to me. They're thicker which along with the aparent lack of pseudobulbs would rule out Oncidiums. It's roots are epiphytic which rules out the semi-terrestrials like Phrags. Now having said what's it's not, i haven't a clue as to what it is. I've toyed with the idea it is a Zygo of some type but again...no pseudobulbs....

[Tobi]

Kevin,
Thank you for pointing out the thickness of the root ball. The roots are
definitely too thick for Oncidium and Miltonia.

Bill - Guess you'll just have to bloom this guy so we can see what you have.

[WIB]

The thing is, the place where I bought it would be very unlikely to have anything particularly exotic. I would have thought it was a common hybrid in the trade, until I got it home and really looked at it. I should have put a scale object in with it. The roots are not really much larger than typicaly Oncidium alliance roots, I would say.

I was going to put it in the raffle at the end of the meeting, but the suspense may kill me. So I may have to keep it and try not to kill it. Sigh. - Bill

[Tobi]

Bill,
Well the suspense is killing us also. Got to keep it and baby it to bloom so
we can see what it is.

[kmarch]

LOL I agree wiht Tobi! Now that you have teased us with it it would be cruel to give it away or sell it! We can't leave the mystery unsolved!!!

[jay]

Just a curiousity here. My Vuyl.Mmelissa Brianne looks a lot like that noid if you look at it from the side. This is only if you look at the newest growths that have not yet "plumped". I know that this does not mean that this is your exact plant, but just noticing the similarities in the leaf development.

Is it possible that there is just a lot of new growth all around the outside and that somewhere deep in there are some p.bulbs?


Jay

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by jay

Is it possible that there is just a lot of new growth all around the outside and that somewhere deep in there are some p.bulbs?

It's possible. As I recall there are some orchids with the plant habit you describe. With an Oncidium Alliance hybrid like Vuyl. thought the bulb would eventually mature and be visible.

WIB, what do the mature growths look like? any visible pseudobulbs there?

[WIB]

I confess that I was too quick to inspect it before I posted. There is one small pseudobulb in the interior that I had overlooked. I think it has to be in the Oncidium alliance, and it certainly resembles Jay's Vuylstkeara, and it is maybe a little like my (somewhat ratty-foliaged) V. Linda Isler. I'll hang onto it and give away the limp Phals. I salvaged from Home Depot. More to come . . . -- Bill

[exasperatus2002]

Newbie question.... "noid" = No identification?

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by exasperatus2002

Newbie question.... "noid" = No identification?

Correct. "noid' means NO I.D., or no identification

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I'd keep open the possibility of a Zygopetalum. They seem to be vigorous growers like your plant.