For Abax. Four Examples of Furan Leaf Types

[MattWoelfsen]

There are many leaf shape classifications for Furan. Here are only four examples of leaf shapes that most growers have in their Furan collection.

From left to right:
Seiryujishi 青龍獅子 "Kurui-ba" or screw leaf
Fukujumaru 福寿丸 "Hari-ba" or needle leaf
Kaioumaru 海王丸 "Mame-ba" or bean leaf
Ryouga 凌駕 "Nami-ba" or common leaf.



Other characteristics that are used to identify a particular variety of Neofinetia are:

Jiku (stem): "Doro-jiku" (mud brown) or "Ao-jiku" (green)

Tsuke (connection between stem and leaf) Tsuki-gata (Crescent moon), Nami-gata (ocean wave), ichimonji-gata (straight), and Yama-gata (mountain)

Ne (root tip colors) Doro-ne (mud brown), Ao-ne (green), Ruby-ne (ruby). There is also a white tipped root but I do not have that name.

You can have all different combinations of these characteristics that would enable you to identify the variety you own.

 

[Linus_Cello]

And the 4th one on the right?

 

[MattWoelfsen]

And the 4th one on the right?

Something happened to my post and it left off the name of the Furan on the right. I corrected my original post. It is Ryouga 凌駕.

 

[troy]

The plants look very hearty!! Is the red root tips induced by culture? Or genetics?

 

[Lanmark]

Root tips are genetic, Troy, though the intensity of their color can be influenced by light levels. Neos can have green, yellow, brown, muddy red, salmon, hot pink or purplish root tips.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Root tip colors are genetic, Troy.

Matt, do you happen to have good pictures to show the difference between mud and pink root tips? I have hard time telling them apart.

I have ruby and green root tips.
Then I have a few that are neither, and I can't quite decide what they are.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Root tips are genetic, Troy, though the intensity of their color can be influenced by light levels. Neos can have green, yellow, brown, muddy red, salmon, hot pink or purplish root tips.

Oops, we must have been typing at the same time. lol

Mark, I guess my idea of four color types on the root tip is too simple?
I was roughly thinking there were four. Mud, pink, green, ruby.

Then, again, there will be of course other colors as a result of combination of pigments present.

So, I can't really tell mud and pink. Now, how can you tell yellow? Is it really yellow yellow?? How can one tell mud and brown?? and muddy red and salmon...

I would think much of it is up to personal opinion?

 

[MattWoelfsen]

Matt, do you happen to have good pictures to show the difference between mud and pink root tips? I have hard time telling them apart.

Happy, I'll go through my albums and see...I recall having a photo or two with just root tips.

There seems to be two classifications of Doro-ne or mud root: light and dark. The light version of Doro-ne almost looks pink. The dark version is what I would identify as brown. I recently saw a "bronze" color but it was still classified as Doro-ne.

Houmeiden is the only Neofinetia that I have seen with Ruby tipped roots. It consistently displays that color regardless of the culture. There are some Neos that are classed as Ruby tipped but look slightly red-brown or lighter red.

It is interesting that we are talking about roots! Root tip colors remain visible for 1 to 2 or so months and then they become white--like other Vanda alliance plants. Recently I have noticed some of my Phalaenopsis with different colored root tips.

 

[abax]

Thank you so much Matt! A lot of the names just fly over
my head, but the photo is a tremendous help. I've never
seen the screw leaf and it sooo interesting. All Neo flowers
are delicate and lovely, but I'm more interested in the leaf types and their habitat. Just how did they grow that
way over the centuries and why? There must be some
evolutionary advantages or the plants wouldn't have
survived to reproduce without the intervention of humans
at some point. Neo appear to be very, very old plants in
evolutionary terms and the simplicity of structure almost
confirms that conjecture. They are really a fascinating
group of plants.

 

[Lanmark]

Happy, I think it's a matter of both plant variety and personal opinion. I have had Manjushage plants with obviously lavender root tips. I have had Houmeiden plants with bright, saturated but light ruby (I would call it hot pink) root tips. I am currently growing a Hana-Kin with decidedly salmon pink root tips. I have seen root tips which are definitely yellow with only the slightest cast of green. Hanakanzashi often has very dark ruby red root tips -- far too red to call them mud colored.

Root tip coloration is one of the four main features I love about my Neos. The tsuke is nice but not nearly as visible as the leaves, root tips, flowers and overall form. I like my plants compact and tidy with attractive form. Wide leaves are always a plus as is leaf variegation. I appreciate all root tip colors. The flowers bring me a lot of enjoyment too, so plants which are willing to bloom is a major plus in my book. The more the better, and good, strong, sweet fragrance always blows me away.

 

[Marco]

Matt - Good comparison. I love the Seiryujishi!

 

[MattWoelfsen]

Matt - Good comparison. I love the Seiryujishi!

Marco, I'll give you once guess where I got that Seiryujishi.

All four Furan I acquired from Tom-DE are growing very well.

 

[MattWoelfsen]

Lanmark, you read like and seem to be an experienced and happy Furan fanatic! You too Happyphapy. I learn a lot from your postings.

 

[MattWoelfsen]

Abax, I hope this was informative for you as it was fun to put together. This just covers four examples of solid base Furan. There are even more defined leaf shapes that cover variegated and striped Furan.

From what I understand, Furan have been cultivated for centuries. The earliest recorded history is in 1700. Someone in Japan, or Korea, or China might have a plant that has survived many generations and divisions.

It would be a fascinating study for a researcher to go back through the generations to see where different Furan were cultivated and by what person.

 

[Lanmark]

Lanmark, you read like and seem to be an experienced and happy Furan fanatic! You too Happyphapy. I learn a lot from your postings.

I've been growing Furan for about 20 years now. Actually, I got my first Neo plant -- just a standard unnamed form of the species -- way back in the mid to late 1970s. I had it for about a decade before giving it away. I didn't learn about all these fantastic named varieties until 20 years ago. Thus began my addiction. I should also say I am still learning as I go.

I'll put together some comparative photos for Angela as well, but my life has gone haywire-hectic in recent weeks. I will need a bit of time to get around to doing it properly.

 

[Happypaphy7]

I appreciate the overall look of the plant rather than details like tsuke, which is actually something I don't care about at all, oops, although I do enjoy the colored root tips in the early spring, or whenever they occur.

Happy, I think it's a matter of both plant variety and personal opinion. I have had Manjushage plants with obviously lavender root tips. I have had Houmeiden plants with bright, saturated but light ruby (I would call it hot pink) root tips. I am currently growing a Hana-Kin with decidedly salmon pink root tips. I have seen root tips which are definitely yellow with only the slightest cast of green. Hanakanzashi often has very dark ruby red root tips -- far too red to call them mud colored.

Root tip coloration is one of the four main features I love about my Neos. The tsuke is nice but not nearly as visible as the leaves, root tips, flowers and overall form. I like my plants compact and tidy with attractive form. Wide leaves are always a plus as is leaf variegation. I appreciate all root tip colors. The flowers bring me a lot of enjoyment too, so plants which are willing to bloom is a major plus in my book. The more the better, and good, strong, sweet fragrance always blows me away.

 

[abax]

I'd love that Lanmark, but I definitely understand the time
aspect of the project. I do know a tiny bit of Chinese history with Cyms. and Neos, but not nearly enough to suit
me. I'm quite interested in the evolutionary aspects of
Neo species. Why they evolved the way they did? Were
they always tree dwellers? Are some of them terrestrial?
Oh my, so many questions...

Matt, I need to dig further into Chinese and Japanese horticultural
history. It is fun to see such lovely and interesting plants. Most of
the sources I've investigated are in either Chinese or Japanese and
the translations are rather awful to follow. I have seen some very
ancient Chinese paintings with what appear to be Neos and many
Japanese paintings with Cymbidiums.