Pyrorchis nigricans - Looking for this Australian succulent orchid

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Aiko
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Pyrorchis nigricans - Looking for this Australian succulent orchid

Post by Aiko »

Anyone (from Australia) that can get their hands on some seeds of Pyrorchis nigricans for me? I got intrigued about it when I was watching the BCSS lecture by Attila Kapitany on Australian succulents earlier this week.

It is not easy to get seeds of Australian succulents, hence me trying it via this forum.

I can offer a swap of a wide variety of succulent seeds (I have a list) or reimburse you for your troubles via paypal.
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BryanT
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Location: Vic, AUS

Re: Pyrorchis nigricans - Looking for this Australian succulent orchid

Post by BryanT »

Hi Aiko,
Attila Kapitany is very knowledgeable about Australian succulents.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's easy to find someone have the seeds, not only Pyrorchis nigricans, also other Australian terrestrial orchids.

Where I live, we have about 12 species of terrestrial orchids around our property. They grow from underground tubers (quite small, about Ø5mm - Ø10mm, sometime I wondering how they can survive with long period of drought), about 3-5cm under the surface. They only show themselves for few weeks each year, some of them not every year, it depends on the weather and other environmental conditions.
There are only a few species MIGHT be available for sell as tubers, not seeds. That also very few special nursery have them. It's only recently that scientists managed to propagate some of the endangered species.
Sometime, if I dug out some tubers in the backyard when I was doing some earthwork, I put them into a shallow pot, they'll flower most of the years during earlier spring.

Pyrorchis nigricans is a terrestrial orchid. It supposed to be around our property too, but I haven't seen any yet.
If I'm not mistaken, they only flower after fire from previous summer. We haven't have bush fire around our place for over 50 years, hopefully not in near future.

Attached some photos of the terrestrial orchids I found in our property last 2 months. (Being quite busy, haven't had time to check last few weeks.)
The 2nd photo, Caldenia villosissima, this is the first time I saw them in 4 years. Even the 7th photo, Calochilus robertsonii, I didn't see them the previous 2 years.

Caladenia carnea.JPG
Caladenia carnea.JPG (113.36 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Caladenia villosissima 01.JPG
Caladenia villosissima 01.JPG (127.44 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Cyanicula caerulea - Blue Fingers.JPG
Cyanicula caerulea - Blue Fingers.JPG (96.93 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Diuris pardina (Leopard Orchid) 01.jpg
Diuris pardina (Leopard Orchid) 01.jpg (118.74 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Dwarf Greenhood - Pterostylis nana 01.JPG
Dwarf Greenhood - Pterostylis nana 01.JPG (103.12 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Glossodia major 01.JPG
Glossodia major 01.JPG (131.01 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Purple Beard-orchid Calochilus robertsonii 22102401.JPG
Purple Beard-orchid Calochilus robertsonii 22102401.JPG (135.32 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Rabbit Ears Sun-orchid Thelymitra antennifera 22102404.JPG
Rabbit Ears Sun-orchid Thelymitra antennifera 22102404.JPG (104.45 KiB) Viewed 1665 times
Bryan
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One Windowsill
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Re: Pyrorchis nigricans - Looking for this Australian succulent orchid

Post by One Windowsill »

Seems like an odd one to want when Portulaca cyclophylla and Portulaca bicolor exist. The spectacular Calandrinia species, as well. Even among the orchids, the Bulbophyllum species Attila featured are far more succulent and charismatic. Easier to grow, as well. Most onions are more succulent than Pyrorchis.

https://australiansucculents.com/pictur ... lbum-83/89
https://australiansucculents.com/pictur ... bum-106/89
https://australiansucculents.com/pictur ... s/gallery2
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Aiko
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Re: Pyrorchis nigricans - Looking for this Australian succulent orchid

Post by Aiko »

One Windowsill wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 9:43 pm Seems like an odd one to want when Portulaca cyclophylla and Portulaca bicolor exist.
Well, I am a sucker for Massonia, Daubenya and many things that grow flat on the ground with one or two leaves. And Pyrorchis nigricans fits this perfectly.

But indeed there are more very interesting succulents from Australia. I have tried a few, even offered seeds of it myself here a few years back of Tecticornia verrucosa when I had a huge load of seeds of one species thanks to a contact in Australia. But unfortunately nothing have resulted in plants I still have while I don't have much difficult growing African and American succulents. I hope the seeds I have distributed earlier have resulted in a bit more succes in some greenhouses in Europe...
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