# When does a cyp not seem to be a cyp?



## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 9, 2009)

When it is _C. debile_. This little guy (I'm being generous calling it little) is just a couple inches tall at the moment. Here it is in bud yesterday:







This is one of those strange species in the section _Retinervia_ that includes just two others, _C. elegans_ and _C. palangshanense_. Even the name, _debile_, is funny, meaning "weak, frail, feeble, etc." Likely that comes from the fact that as the flower develops it is held under the leaves with its face turned earthward. One thing's certain, they are tough to keep alive. This little guy should be blooming in another few days.


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## parvi_17 (Apr 9, 2009)

Very cool. This is a species I would love to try sometime. I look forward to seeing the bloom!


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## kentuckiense (Apr 9, 2009)

I'm impressed that you repeatedly bloom this one. Is that live Selaginella on top of the substrate?


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## nikv (Apr 9, 2009)

Neat-O !!!!


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## Jorch (Apr 9, 2009)

wow! It's so delicate looking! :clap: great growing!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 9, 2009)

kentuckiense said:


> I'm impressed that you repeatedly bloom this one. Is that live Selaginella on top of the substrate?



It is two years and counting for this little guy. I lost two plants from a previous year due to keeping them too dry. These plants have no capacity for drying of the soil or low humidity. I'll be glad to keep it going for a few more years. Yes, that is a _Selaginella, S. japonica,_ a very easy dwarf species in this climate.


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## NYEric (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanx for sharing. I'm looking forward to the bloom fotos, good luck.


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## biothanasis (Apr 10, 2009)

Amazing and very interesting!!!!


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## Hakone (Apr 11, 2009)

very nice :rollhappy:


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## smartie2000 (Apr 11, 2009)

I've never seen this before! thanks for sharing


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## cnycharles (Apr 12, 2009)

interesting


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 12, 2009)

Here he is in bloom...teeny tiny!


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## nikv (Apr 12, 2009)

How adorable! :clap:


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## smartie2000 (Apr 12, 2009)

And very nicely photographed too!


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## Jorch (Apr 12, 2009)

Very cute!! Something about that flower reminds me a bit of malipoense!


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## parvi_17 (Apr 13, 2009)

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing!


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## NYEric (Apr 13, 2009)

Too cute.


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## cnycharles (Apr 13, 2009)

very cool! thanks for sharing


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## SlipperFan (Apr 13, 2009)

Cool photo!!!


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## Elena (Apr 14, 2009)

Jorch said:


> Very cute!! Something about that flower reminds me a bit of malipoense!



Exactly what I was going to say. Sweet Cyp!


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## goldenrose (Apr 14, 2009)

:clap: way too sweet! :clap:


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## lipelgas (Apr 14, 2009)

really nice and unusual. thanks!


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## Rick (Apr 14, 2009)

Very Nice:clap::clap:

Are you going to self it?


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 14, 2009)

Rick said:


> Very Nice:clap::clap:
> 
> Are you going to self it?



With these old eyes, no way! Honestly, I don't want to risk weakening the plant. Even under the best conditions this species is tough to keep going - the roots are few and the rhizomes so small they are hard to notice at all. That isn't much for a plant to go on and that is why they are so difficult to maintain long term and so easy to kill...the conditions here are less than perfect. Come July, August, and September the oven turns on, true relentless subtropical heat, so it is amazing this little guy persists, but so far he has!


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## Nic (May 3, 2009)

Nice cherry blossom petals - lovely photo.


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