# micranthum or armeniacum?



## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 1, 2007)

A tag fell out of one of my paphs. I very strongly believe that is micranthum or armeniacum. I remember someone telling me once you can tell by looking at and feeling the leaves. One of these two has a rough saw tooth on the edge of the leave. You can both see it and feel it if you run your finger on the side of the leaves. This plant has this rough edges to the leaves.

So which one do I have, or do I need to wait to bloom it?


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## Doug (Nov 1, 2007)

My P.armeniacum seems to have the rough edges, while my P.micranthum does not.


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## bwester (Nov 1, 2007)

post a pic and I can tell you


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 1, 2007)

Sorrry, can't post a photo of the leaves. I'm not home nor will I be till Monday.


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## Ernie (Nov 1, 2007)

Well if you come home to an empty greenhouse, *it wasn't us*. 

-Ernie


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 1, 2007)

I need not worry about returning home to empty greenhouse. It has a security alarm on it, as does the house and garage. Then on top of that I left Donna home to take care of the orchids.


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## Candace (Nov 1, 2007)

I would also guess it's an armeniacum. I felt both in the g.h. this morning. I never knew there was a difference, but as Doug said, my micranthum leaf edges felt smooth and the armeniacum was rough.


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## streetmorrisart (Nov 1, 2007)

My armeniacum too has rougher edges than the micranthum...interesting. (They're both chillin' in an open window at night right now as I freeze myself, my husband, cats and everything else in order to insure spikes I may or may not blast.)


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 1, 2007)

I often hear people talk about giving both micranthum as well as armeniacums a cold spell in order to bloom them. Currently I have two armeniacum both on there way to making blooms. One I can see the bud plumping up in the sheath and on the other one the bud has pulled out of the sheath and is well on it's way to making a flower. The greenhouse doesn't get any colder then 62 degrees, so go figure.


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## streetmorrisart (Nov 1, 2007)

It'd be cool to not have to worry about doing that for sure. My apartment is warmer than that overall though, and it's worked before, sort of (I blasted micranthum last year), so I'm going to keep at it--plus the breeder I got them from (who has the most consistently-amazing paphs I've ever seen) told me to crack open a window and set them there. I know I have to do it for the standard phals anyway so why not? (Do I get to admit to growing those here? I still think they're beautiful and reliable, so again, why not.)

Sorry if this constitutes a hijack--I mean no offense!


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 1, 2007)

Not a problem. I find many times that I get water into the sheaths and blast them that way. Now as soon as I see a sheath I move the plant into a very visable area. Each time I water it, I make sure to go over and blow a stream of air into the sheath, and that will force the water out of it.


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## streetmorrisart (Nov 1, 2007)

Fine advice--thank you! I actually blasted *three* micranthum buds last year. I just stood and poked at the remains in disbelief. (It's either something that approximates the Seinfeld "serenity now" response or throwing things, which is highly unproductive.)


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## Leo Schordje (Nov 1, 2007)

All my micranthum have smooth leaf edges. Most of my armeniacums I can feel a distinct (but very fine) saw tooth edge. The one or two I can't feel an edge might be because my fingers are not very sensitive, or ...they might be mislableled.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Nov 1, 2007)

As to temperature.....all my armeniacums and micranthums are still outdoors. We only reached the 40's at night last week, and I'll leave them outside until the temps reach the 30's. Of course I have no buds....but that said, the only armeniacum I ever bloomed spiked during a fall so warm that nearly no other paphs spiked. The bloom didn't open until April, but at least it bloomed. I have never bloomed micranthum, but the one spike I ever initiated was produced in late summer....only to sit there for weeks and blast when the plant was finally brought indoors. These guys make emersonii look easy...and I can't even keep that one alive after blooming................Eric


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## Chien (Nov 1, 2007)

Hi Bob,
Both micranthum or armeniacum are striped on their leaves, image they are brick walls. The bricks of micranthum are laid by a master, and the bricks of armeniacum are laid by a trainee.


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## Marco (Nov 1, 2007)

hey Bob...I know nothing about micranthum and armeniacum.....but if you send the plant to me ill tell you what it is when is blooms


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## Chien (Nov 2, 2007)

Chien said:


> Hi Bob,
> Both micranthum or armeniacum are striped on their leaves, image they are brick walls. The bricks of micranthum are laid by a master, and the bricks of armeniacum are laid by a trainee.













These two are micranthums. 





This one is armeniacum.

The lines one the micraniacum are straight and clean, but one the armeniacum are disorderliness.


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## goldenrose (Nov 2, 2007)

very interesting & helpful!


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## NYEric (Nov 2, 2007)

Chien, I need to see these in person, in my apartment, for a long time..


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## Chien (Nov 2, 2007)

NYEric said:


> Chien, I need to see these in person, in my apartment, for a long time..



It's cruel to cut down the leaves and send to you!oke::sob:


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## NYEric (Nov 2, 2007)

No, no; just send the whole plants and I'll hold them for you, really!


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## yijiawang (Nov 2, 2007)

I taked pictures for the difference of the tow Paphs, leaf side of armeniacum had many sawteeth, but microthum have not. and, micranthum leaf side had roll to back leaf, but armeniacum leaf side withou any roll.

sorry for my poor English, hope you can catch my means.


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## Candace (Nov 2, 2007)

Wow, cool close-ups!


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## goldenrose (Nov 3, 2007)

Candace said:


> Wow, cool close-ups!



You can say that again!!!! Excellent!


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## Roy (Nov 3, 2007)

As above, Great shots.


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## Mrs. Paph (Nov 3, 2007)

Take a picture of them w/ a microscope and I might be able to help ID hahaha...I'm really trying to find the time to get my pics together - I have some pictures of micranthum and armeniacum at dissecting scope mag. and some peels and cross section pictures with a higher powered scope. I wanted to check out the 'scales' up close that are said to help protect them from dew freezing on the leaves. I'll post them as soon as I get the time to go through them all...


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Nov 5, 2007)

Thanks for all the help. I'm putting a I.D. on it as armeniacum.


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