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  Re: secondary hemiepiphytes
From: "Jay Vannini" interbnk at infovia.com.gt> on 2000.05.24 at 02:21:42(4621)
Dear Marilyn:

Depends on the species in my opinion.

Selenicereus (formerly Deamia) testudo is commonly observed to start life
either as an epiphyte or as a seedling that snakes up (in this area) palms
and tropical oaks. Either way, it is unusual to see them "tapped" into the
ground as a mature plant. These cacti, in addition to some members of the
other genera I mentioned appear to "trap" debris with their stems and roots
and are quite successful after having "lost" their original soil root
system. I have a Cuban species, S. cf. inermis that has long since
overflowed out of its basket and many meters up into a tree where some stems
have broken, re-rooted and continued on their way. I emphasize that this is
under "wild" conditions - I am not certain that either a Monstera or a
Selenicereus can duplicate this feat on a well-scrubbed brick wall!

On the Vanilla query by B. Magrys: Vanilla is a fairly large genus with a
pantropical distribution. While V. planifolia and V. pompona (valid?) are
widely cultivated on trellises after growing up from the soil, there are, as
I understand it, a number of smaller spp. that are purely epiphytic in
habit. Does Vanilla planifolia commonly leave its soil root system? Frankly,
I don't know the answer to this.

Kind regards,

Jay

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