Can lepanthes telipogoniflora produce keikis?

[Rhetroberts26]

So I just noticed on my telipogoniflora there are growths at the base of 2 leaves that look like roots. One of them has what looks to be a flower spike as well. So my question is can they produce keikis?

[estación seca]

Yes. When they sufficiently large you think you can keep them alive, you can separate them.

[Dendrobates33]

Great question!

Can we expand this question to other Lepanthes sp as well? I've noticed conflicting information from retailers and hobbyists regarding propagation success and keiki production. One side saying it's definitive death to the whole plant, others saying it's possible.

[Rhetroberts26]

I know I can’t find any information on the subject! The plant is small and I’m worried that two keikis will really take a toll on the mother plant. With that being said I took a clean razor blade and gently knocked them off. I would rather have a healthy mother plant before I’d be willing to leave a keiki on.

[Roberta]

A lot of Pleurothallids make keikis just in the general course of things. I leave them on - they're part of the plant... could live independently if they get long enough roots, but in the meantime they are photosynthesizing and so contributing to the whole plant. They can get a bit unruly but they're just doing what comes naturally.

[estación seca]

No, extra growths don't harm the parent plant. They help the plant. They have leaves for photosynthesis and they grow roots to absorb water. Pleurothallid stems may bend over and the keikii may attach to the tree, spreading the plant horizontally.

[Rhetroberts26]

Well shoot!! Learn something everyday.. now I know to leave them on!