# What are these Corn Kernels on Sukhakulii?



## Chris (Jun 18, 2009)

These bumps that look like yellow kernels of corn started growing as swellings between the leaves. 











I hope it's the start of some flowers, but I don't think so because I remember the flowers on this plant starting off looking more like this: 






but it's looked like that for about 5 months now. Maybe some day it will grow. Are any of these going to be flowers? For now, the plant seems to be growing ok. 

Also, I was surprised how large the images came through. If that's a problem or considered poor form, let me know and I'll try to find a way to downsize them. I just started using photobucket, let me know if it's a problem.


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## paphreek (Jun 18, 2009)

They look like new root tips to me.


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## Renegayde (Jun 18, 2009)

no expert here but I would also guess them to be root tips/new roots forming


Todd


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## Chris (Jun 18, 2009)

Huh? I thought root tips were at the bottom of the plant, not in the middle of leaves. Then again, I am new at this...


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## Renegayde (Jun 18, 2009)

roots will often start to grow out between the lowest and next to lowest set of leaves.....or at least this is what I have found....in some just deflasked seedlings I have even seen roots growing from higher up on the stem.


Todd


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## Rick (Jun 18, 2009)

Yup

Roots.

It's not uncommon for the mottled leaf, barbata group of Paphs to send out roots above the mix level.

There's some conjecture that they do this because they are normally found in the forest where constant leaf fall constantly builds up the duff around them, so they climb.


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## biothanasis (Jun 19, 2009)

Root tips is what I would guess to..!!! Rick the info you provided is very interesting!!! TY


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## Ray (Jun 19, 2009)

Rick said:


> There's some conjecture that they do this because they are normally found in the forest where constant leaf fall constantly builds up the duff around them, so they climb.


I would also speculate some sort of mechanical advantage, as well. That's a pretty small base for a top-heavy plant. Having "guy wires" a bit higher up increases the stability considerably.


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## Heather (Jun 19, 2009)

Also, don't be surprised if, as they grow, they "push" off those lower leaves. Often the lower leaves die off when the roots pop through their base.


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## Chris (Jun 19, 2009)

Great information as always. Thanks!


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## goldenrose (Jun 19, 2009)

Mother nature likes to mess with you Chris!


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## NYEric (Jun 19, 2009)

Roots; gave me a chuckle though.


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## Renegayde (Jun 19, 2009)

just wondering if anyone else does this....when I am repotting, small seedlings for the most part, I pull the bottom two leaves off and plant it.....I will plant it deeper than it was previously if there are root tip bumps...my bigger plants and multi growth plants I do not always do this with though I wonder if I should sometimes

Todd


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## NYEric (Jun 19, 2009)

Then you're cutting off the mechanisms [leaves] that the plant uses for photosynthesis!? Why not repot w/ fine media that can go in between the leaves?


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## Renegayde (Jun 19, 2009)

well my thinking was I did not want the leaves in the potting medium as they would sort of rot from being in contact with it.....I figured that would lead to rotting the whole plant? 

Todd


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## NYEric (Jun 19, 2009)

Er, I've started using a new system for sick plants showig rotting issues. After taking off as much rotted material as possible and washing the plants w/ a Physan solution, I pot them in net pots in a mix of sphagnum moss, large spongerock/perlite, bark, charcoal, and diatomite. The size of the materials and net pots keep the mix light and gives plenty of airflow. For roots like in your plant I would include some sphag-dust.


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## Mrs. Paph (Jun 19, 2009)

Haha, yeah, as said above, those are root tips  How is your humidity? The reason they may have stayed that way for so long could be humidity just a little bit too low for them to emerge farther without drying out. Roots like this tend to die on me eventually since I'm still growing Paphs indoors and don't have the space enclosed for extra humidity, but maybe in a humid greenhouse they'd grow faster and make it down to the mix...? I like the leaf litter theory as a reason for this tendency in nature.


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## SlipperKing (Jun 19, 2009)

Renegayde said:


> just wondering if anyone else does this....when I am repotting, small seedlings for the most part, I pull the bottom two leaves off and plant it.....I will plant it deeper than it was previously if there are root tip bumps...my bigger plants and multi growth plants I do not always do this with though I wonder if I should sometimes
> 
> Todd


I do the same thing Todd for 20 plus years, it works fine.


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## Ray (Jun 20, 2009)

The leaf litter things sounds plausible, but doesn't it break down relatively quickly, especially in more tropical climes? I mean, if it didn't, all of the plants would end up buried, wouldn't they?

My back yard is mostly woods, and not only do I not remove leaf litter, I add that from the front yard, where there is a lawn. I'm not getting a buildup in leaf litter depth.

Granted, in my yard, the litter primarily accumulates in the fall (and there *is* a buildup), rather than a likely continuous process in the tropics, but very little decomp goes on over the winter, and it sure doesn't take long in the spring for it to break down.


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## SlipperKing (Jun 20, 2009)

Ray I would imagine the tropics as a bit more vegetative matter per sq foot them your woods. Not trying to be smart about it, but from the pics I've seen it appears to be a *heavy* understory as well. This plus debris build up would support the elongation theory.
For one example, the Maudiae clone I have grows "normal" when there are few growths but once it gets up to the 10 plus growths, new starts come out higher on the stalk of the old. I assume to get above the old fans for better light. Another point, if Maudiae was left alone, I would have quite a large buildup of dead leaves under the plant in the pot. But being a neat-freak, I pull the old ones off all the time. Food for thought.


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