# Mexipedium xerophyticum possibly extinct in the wild?



## Tom499 (Jan 15, 2013)

I have been hearing rumours that the last patch of _Mexipedium xerophyticum_ has been lost to a forest fire, and as of yet, has not been found elsewhere.

I was wondering if anyone here knew more.


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## Rick (Jan 15, 2013)

Interesting rumors. Can you elaborate?

I thought there was more than one population.

One was in a limestone sink hole that stayed damp. That was from a link attached to an old ST thread a year or so ago.

But maybe all the sites were stripped and the last one burned??


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## gonewild (Jan 15, 2013)

I seem to remember that most of the plants were burned but there was at least one that was not. Not completely extinct...yet.


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## John Boy (Jan 15, 2013)

I guess the species is safe, we've got loads of material growing happyly in our collections. But: not much point to restock the wild population, as long as these plants would be up on Ebay a week later.


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## goods (Jan 15, 2013)

Has this species been propagated by seed? I thought I remember reading there was trouble getting these flasked, but that was a while ago. If this is still the case and with very few different clones around, the lack is genetic variability in cultivation is somewhat scary.


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## cnycharles (Jan 15, 2013)

everything may be only from two clones at most; seedlings have been made though don't know how often; paper I read from and about the site had mentioned a while ago that there had been one spot 'on the ground' that was of moderate size, and then more were found on ravine banks where water was seeping down through. I don't have any info though for if any had been burned or if anything was left if so... I hope there are some left! .. and they had been guarding the knowledge of the location though we all know how that goes

what's really interesting is that this very different orchid is growing in this spot all by itself (it hasn't been found anywhere else), and that if there has been one forest fire there likely have been many, and the orchid is still there (hopefully). it makes you think about how many other unusual orchids there are in remote places just hanging on... that are very unusual compared to others


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## mrhappyrotter (Jan 16, 2013)

I've read similar stories about a fire wiping out most or all of the known population of these guys -- probably read it on a thread here.

I'd like to try growing one of these guys some day. I've seen them in bloom, they're really cool and extremely interesting but certainly not the most striking of orchids.

I saw some miserable plants early on when they first started to appear on the market in North America. At that time, people were growing them like succulents (as the name suggested). It's amazing any survived. Now I think everybody grows them more like a paph, and the ones I see are healthier these days.

If they are extinct in the wild, we surely found them at just the right time, so there's hope they may some day be re-introduced. But I suspect they aren't entirely extinct. There may very well be other populations we haven't discovered yet, and it's possible even at the known location that they could recover.


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## NYEric (Jan 16, 2013)

Scary thoughts.


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## Tom499 (Jan 16, 2013)

I've struggled to get more information, hopefully because those who know want to keep it secret and safe.


Would be a real shame to lose it.


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## keithrs (Jan 16, 2013)

I remember someone on the forums saying the forest fire in Oaxaca that damaged the wild collection of mexi's was back in 09 and that there are still a few plants left. Whether that's true.. IDK!


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## Dido (Jan 16, 2013)

was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time

Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants


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## keithrs (Jan 16, 2013)

Dido said:


> was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time
> 
> Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants



As far as I know all of whats out there are from the two site collected. I have scene flasks for sale also. Troy Meyers had 20 some odd plant in flask.


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## Rick (Jan 16, 2013)

Dido said:


> was there ever a succesfull breading in mexipedium or did they not go over the flask time
> 
> Are all mexis we have originate really only from this 2 plants



I thought there were at least 2 unrelated lines originating from just a handful of collected plants.

I haven't tried to self mine, since the plant is so vigorous with vegetative division, and keeping my eyes open for unrelated pollen. But I doubt this species would be difficult to breed except for the small size of the flower.


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## goods (Jan 16, 2013)

According to this thread, it seems that it has been selfed before.


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## silence882 (Jan 17, 2013)

According to an article by Eduardo Perez-Garcia in the journal Lankesteriana, published in 2010, the species is known from a single limestone outcropping in Oaxaca, Mexico. At least 2 examples that were growing independently were collected when first discovered and persist in cultivation. No genetic studies have been done to determine if the plants are genetically different or the same. The genetic study would need to be done to confirm they are different clones since these plants propagate vegetatively so prolifically. The article also states that there was a wildfire in 1998 that did significant damage to the area in which the limestone outcropping is located. However, he states that he managed to find examples of the species when he visited in 2009.

Unfortunately (for me), the article is in Spanish, so I had to use google translate to read it. I am sure I am missing some of the important points because the translation isn't great. If anyone would like a copy of the original article, shoot me a PM and I will e-mail it to you.

--Stephen


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## keithrs (Jan 17, 2013)

Thank you for the correction silence!

Mexi article


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## Tom499 (Jan 25, 2013)

The IUCN site should be updated in the next month or so..

Mexipedium xerophyticum is extinct in the wild.


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## cnycharles (Jan 25, 2013)

collected or burned?


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## Tom499 (Jan 25, 2013)

Apparently another forest fire got the last known area.


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## NYEric (Jan 26, 2013)

Ugh!


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## Ozpaph (Jan 27, 2013)

so growing and propagating rare species away from their native environment is a good thing.


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## Drorchid (Feb 27, 2013)

It is a hard species to propagate in the lab, as you don't get much germination, and there is not as much seed in one seedpod compared to Phragmipedium species, but we have been successful in the past to get some sib-crosses to germinate! Next time when our stud plants bloom I will try to get some more seedpods going.

We have tried crossing Mexipediums with Phrags as well, and actually got those to germinate and grow in the flask, but for some reason they don't go beyond the flask stage, after a while in the flasks, they crash and die :sob:

Robert


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## NYEric (Feb 27, 2013)

try sowing the seeds on live moss?


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## wjs2nd (Feb 27, 2013)

Maybe they need replating more often?


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## s1214215 (Mar 1, 2013)

I got a flasks from a member on this forum (located in Canada). I think we got about 40 seedlings in the tubs. Well those went into Caison media (similar to P6668) at half strength. They multiplied in that media and we ended up with over 100 plants. They needed frequent replating as if not replated every few months, the leaves started to die off. But with regular replates they grow well in flask. 

Deflasking was a little tricky, but I got half of my plants to live. They seemed prone to rot initially, but got over it as they got larger. Also, the plants that were getting close to 1 inch across in flask did much better than smaller plants when potted out.

I have had some seed germinated by my friend on the above media. Not great germination, but then there was not a huge amount of seed in the selfed pod either.. Outcrossed pods seem more vigorous plants in flask.

Currently I have my last 6 seedlings in flask and I am trying full strength media to see if they do better grow-wise and last longer between replates.


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## phrag guy (Mar 1, 2013)

that is could to hear


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