Pollinating a Stanhopea

[RoyalOrchids]

I know this is more of a propagation question, but I really want feedback from Stanhopea growers. I'm no stranger to the key flower parts. I have a few of my own crosses flask already, but I mostly grow Cattleya alliance.

My question is about the stigmatic surface on a Stanhopea. I know where it's supposed to be, but it looked unfamiliar. More of a slot, than a sticky depression. In fact, I could not find any surface onto which to "stick" the pollinia. The area on the column just behind the rostellum, where I would have expect to find it, had no features at first glance. When denied a few times, I took a closer look and noticed a crease or slot, but it was not sticky and not large enough for those monster sized pollinia. I finally just poked them down into the slot with a toothpick - I assume this has to be the target.

I don't think I'm way off base, but is there something I'm missing? I did read something here a few years ago about "scratching" the column a day before pollination to mimic the presence of a pollinator. I kind of chalked it up as a theory. Any truth to this? I'm thinking now that something has to make that opening a bit more receptive or I couldn't see it happening naturally.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maybe this article will help clear things up. I remembered this one from the Troy Meyers Conservatory page. It deals with the pollination of Coryanthes, but as we all know Coryanthes and Stanhopeas are related. I'm assuming that the pollination methods are similar enough.

https://lab.troymeyers.com/flasking/...es-Pollination

[RoyalOrchids]

Hey King, Thanks for the link. I'm just now able to check the board, so I'm too late to benefit from the great info in that article. Stanhopeas (at least wardii) must have the same hormonal reaction to the anther cap being removed as Coryanthes. Live and learn. What I did might have worked, I forced it in there pretty good! If not, I'll try again...

Thanks for the help.




p.s. I'm typing on a laptop on my porch, looking at the wilted but persistant blooms right now.

[RoyalOrchids]

An Update:

So far, so good. All the flowers dropped except the one I selfed. The column and ovary are nice and green. I didn't want to jinx it by posting an update too early, but I could tell it was going to take before the other flowers dropped. The slit into which I forced the pollinia did begin to open slightly and produce sticky stigmatic fluid - but only the one that had the pollinia removed. Since I wedged the pollinia in there, once it became receptive the pollen was already right there.

Orchids are so cool.