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Monopodial Orchids 
Aerides, Renantheras, Phalaenopsis and Vandas are typical examples of 
this type of growth, Monopndial orchids have only one stem, Their single stem 
grows upright and lengthens indefinitely, producing new leaves season after seasons 
Roots are produced along the stem, whereas flower spikes are produced from the axis 
of the leaves, In their native habitat Aerides will grow several feet high, and 
Vandas and Renantheras 10 ft. or higher. Phalaenopsis have a short stem and do not 
grow more than a few inches, When these plants are potted regularly they are not 
allowed to become lankys 
Sympodial Orchids 
Cattleyas, Laelias and most genera are classified as sympodial orchids, 
Plants that are under thits classification have a number of bulbs that are called 
"pseudo-bulbs," These pseudo=-bulbs usually have one or two leaves at the top and 
are joined at the base by a stem that is knom as a "rhizome," The rhizome on some 
Species may be two inches long between the bulbs, whereas on other species it will 
be short causing the bulbs to be very close together, The rhizome is the part of 
the plant from which the roots grow, At the base of the bulbs on each side there 
will be a dormant eye, from which the new growths develop, With certain genera 
such as Brassavolas, Laelias and Cattleyas the flower spike develops from a sheath 
at the top of the bulbs Oncidiuns, Odontoglossums, Miltonias and others have eyes 
at the base of the bulbs which develop into the flower spikes, 
PROPAGATION OF ORCHIDS 
Orchids are reproduced in three waysy off-sets, division and seeds. 
Certain genera such as Dendrobiums and some of the “cane type" Epidendruns 
produce plantlets from nodes on the pseudo»bulbs of the parent plants, When a shoot 
forms from a node on the parent plant, root growth may be promoted by tying a small 
amount of brown osmunda under the shoot and spraying the osmunda daily to keep it 
moist, After a strong root system has developed the new plant may be served from 
the parent and potted, 
Propagation by division is the method that is more frequently used, Some of 
the gonera that are propagated by division are Brassavolas, Cattloyas, Dondrobiuns, 
Epidondrums, Laclias, Miltonias, Odontoglossums, Oncidiuns, Sophronites, Zygcpotal~ 
ums, etc, Specics of these genera develop pseudo~bulbs from a creeping rhizome, 
After flowering the front bulb or bulbs on a plan% develop new growths, while the 
back bulbs remain inactive and serve as a reservoir for a reserve food supply, If 
the plants are large they may be divided into divisions of four or more pseudo= 
bulbs each, When dividing a plant the back bulbs should always be checked to make 
certain that they have a live eye from which a new growth can etart, Divisions of 
less than four bulb should not be made, as there is the chance that the plant, if 
too small, will not be strong enough to produce flowerse The back bulbs may be 
placed on the bench on a sheet of news paper and sprayed several times a day until 
root growth starts, and then they may be potted, The back bulbs may also be potted 
immediately after division; however the leaves must be sprayed several times a day 
and the fiber kept dry until root growth is well started, Propagations should 
receive more shade than plants that are well established and in active growth, 
Reproduction of orchid plants by seed is being used more and more by commer 
cial orchid growers and amateurs, This method is usually quite slow and requires a 
