Corybas geminigibbus

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I’ve been growing Corybas geminigibbus since around May 23, 2018. Corybas growth habits are not widely known and detailed photographic documentation is not common. Lots of people may have seen these orchids with tuberoid, in leaf, in flower, or in the later stages of growing a shoot. Early stages of the tuberoid sprouting such as these photos are extremely rare at best, (at least, I have not been able to find any).

The 1st photo was taken October 6, 2018.

The 2nd photo was taken today, Saturday, October 19, 2018.

We are currently in fall in the northern hemisphere.

Although it may not be clear, this tuberoid is currently sprouting 2 growths from the top. They are both white and they have extremely long and fine filaments protruding from the surface of the growths. I do not currently know what these growths really are.

[Bulbopedilum]

Very nice! I believe they are leaves (which will unfurl then bloom), but I'm not sure when they are supposed to appear in the norhtern hemisphere. Corybas are also starting to sprout in the southern hemisphere here as well. Post updates!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The larger of the 2 growths appear to be growing downwards, (toward the moss), for some reason. I do not know why. This is one of the reasons why I question whether it really is a sprouting leaf. In my mind, if it was a leaf, I'd assume it would be growing towards the light, rather than away from the light source.

I cannot make out what the smaller growth is doing because it is partially obscured by a tiny piece of moss.

I'm guessing one of them could be a stolon.

[orchidsarefun]

Here's mine. It's done this within a month. I don't know what it's supposed to do for the rest of the growing season! Lol

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

Here's mine. It's done this within a month. I don't know what it's supposed to do for the rest of the growing season! Lol

Nothing. The flower will probably last about a week or less, dry up, and leave the leaves behind. Like I said, the leaves persist until some time during late summer or early fall. The tuberoids will stay dormant from the time the leaves drop until right about the beginning of May.

Yours is positively Corybas geminigibbus. You can identify it from Corybas pictus from the lanceolate shaped labellum. With Corybas pictus the labellum is rounded.

The other way to tell that it is Corybas geminigibbus is from the callus on the lip. The "gemini" in "geminigibbus" is referring to the twin ridged callus on the lip.

[orchidsarefun]

Still going strong.

[orchidsarefun]

Here's mine. It's done this within a month. I don't know what it's supposed to do for the rest of the growing season! Lol


For good reason that bud reminds me of the Alien movie.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

This is what came of mine just recently...

I honestly thought I lost them when I checked up on them a month ago.

Just a week ago I decided to look into the container to see if I could throw out the contents and reuse it...this was what I saw:

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It took from October 2018 to some time within April 2019 to produce these two leaves! There may be more coming along.

The leaves stay on the tuberoids for quite a while longer. They can stay alive up until mid summer - early fall. Dormancy is very prolonged. Mine were dormant for some of the summer up till now.

To answer your question about long term growing. Yes, it is possible, even when dormancy is extremely long.

[orchidsarefun]

I've never grown this before and I wonder if mine is mislabeled. The bud is definitely from the centre of the leaf. I suppose we'll soon see.
I have 2 other corybas species and they're doing nothing yet.