Germination of Malaxis unifolia:


Aaron:

Cold treatment is ca 40F in the dark, in flask.  Refrigerator is OK

Seeds of any terrestrial species will be welcomed for trial germination here.
Calypso, Spiranthes, Epipactis, anything. Just do not send them in an
unpadded envelope. The mail system is very efficient at crushing orchid seeds
unless slide boxes or multiple layers of padding are used.


Aaron:

The plants were transferred to the same modification of Murashige & Skooge,
which produced good corms. They were also transferred to medium "A" which
produced good shoot development.  The A medium I think was published by
Arditti, who was probably quoting someone else, but I do not have time to run
that down.  My formula is: CaNO3.4H2O .065g; NH4NO3 .065g; KH2PO4 .033g; KCl
.033g; MgSO4.7H2O .033g; Fe EDTA .013g; peptone 1.3g; sucrose 7.0g; agar
8.0g; water 1000cc.  Pre-autoclave pH was 5.2 changed to 6.3 with KOH,  post-
autoclave pH 5.8.

I was trying to transfer to the greenhouse in November to get them into the
natural growth cycle; I do not remember what stage they were in at the
transfer.  Seeds of the little buggers were wild collected. Dry seeds were
stored temporarily at room temperature, sown, then given a cold treatment.

Many years ago I was shown Calypso bulbosa flowering under aspens in the
Sandia Mts.  If you run across this in the coming years please keep me in
mind for seeds.

Warren Stoutamire

Aaron:

I received dry seeds of Malaxis unifolia from North Carolina in October l990.
Seeds were sterilized in hypochlorite and sown on Lucke medium, refrigerated
for 8 weeks, and kept in the dark at about 23C. By August l991 seedlings were
2mm and 4 mm by 1/15/92. 8 mm November l992, refrigerated 8 weeks, trans to
1/4 strength Murashige & Skooge ( plus 2.5 oz. chiquita banana baby food/l,
pH adjustment to about 6 before autoclaving). Another refrigeration from 1/94-
4/94. Corms turned green when transferred to light, seedlings transferred to
greenhouse in November 1994, did not survive winter.

From Stoutamire%Biology%UAKRON@polskys.cc.uakron.edu

Aaron:

I have germinated and grown seeds of Malaxis unifolia on quarter strength
Murashige & Skooge salt base, 20 grams sucrose, 8 grams agar, with 2.5oz
Chiquita banana baby food added, titrated up to pH 6 befor autoclaving.

Seedlings grew slowly but did not survive potting out.  I hope this is of use
to you.

Warren Stoutamire
Biology Department
Univ. of Akron, Akron, OH 44325.