Pleione
(pronounced: plye-OH-nee)
Classification
Coelogyneae subtribe Coelogyninae
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Overview
Dwarf terrestrials, lithophytes or epiphytes. Pseudobulbs cormose, annual, ovoid to barrel-shaped, covered with sheaths when young. Leaves 1--2, uniform throughout the genus, elliptic-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, erect-arching, plicate, petiolate, deciduous. Inflorescences basal, erect, solitary or twin-flowered. Flowers showy. Sepals and petals free, spreading, usually subsimilar. Lip unlobed or obscurely three-lobed, tubular with a flared erose-toothed rim, the callus raised longitudinal keels. Column lightly arching, winged; pollinia 4.
Distribution
A genus of 15 species and three natural hybrids native to the Himalayas from Nepal to southern China. This account largely follows the monograph by Cribb, Tang and Butterfield (1988).
Care and Culture Card
See basic growing conditions and care information below.
Grow Pleione in shallow pots or bulb pans in a light terrestrial mixture. Provide bright light and intermediate to cool-intermediate temperatures during the growing season. In the spring as new growths emerge water lightly. As the season progresses increase watering and apply fertilizer regularly. In the fall the leaves will yellow and begin to drop. Stop watering as the leaves fall from the plants and do not water again until the spring as new growths emerge. Plants should divided and repotted every year during their winter dormancy.
Literature
Bellone, R. 1999. Le genre Pleione D. Don. Orchid. Cult. & Protect. 38(2):5-13. Bergel, G. 1998. Ein brauchbares Substrat für dir Gattung Pleione. Die Orchidee 49(3):117-119. Braem, G. J. 1991. Pleione kohlsii, an exciting novelty from southern China. Schlechteriana 4/91:167-169. Braem, G. J. 1999. Nouveaux taxons dans le genre Pleione D. Don. Orchid. Cult. & Protect. 38(2):20-26. Braem, G. J. and H. Mohr 1989. Pleione pinkepankii and Pleione pleoniodes. Orchis(Italy) 65-66:121-126. Cavender, D. 1998. Pleione. Orchids 67(4):358-367. Chen, S.-C. and Z.-H. Tsi 2000. Pleione microphylla, a new orchid from southern Guangdong, China. Acta Phytotax. Sinica 38(2):182-184. Cribb, P. 1988. Two recently introduced species of Pleione from China. Kew Mag. 5:161-167. Cribb, P. J. 1992. Further thoughts on Pleione species. National Pleione Report (United Kingdom) 1992:35-38. Cribb, P. and Z.-C. Chen 1994. Pleione chunii, an earlier name for P. aurita. Orchid Rev. 102(1199):276-277. Cribb, P. and H. Pfennig 1988. Pleione aurita, eine neue Art aus China. Die Orchidee 39:111-114. Cribb, P., C. Z. Tang and I. Butterfield 1988. The genus Pleione. Bot. Mag., n. s., 184:1-147. Hunt, P. F. 1961. Pleiones from Formosa. J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 86(4):168-171. Hunt, P. F. and C. G. Vosa 1971. The cytology and taxonomy of the genus Pleione D. Don (Orchidaceae). Kew Bull. 25:423-432. Kleinhaus, G. 1999. Neues aus der Gattung Pleione. J. Orchideenfr. 6(2):81-93. Li, H. and G. Feng 1987. A new species of the Orchidaceae, Pleione alba. Wild Orchid J. 2:44-46. Perner, H. 1998. Am Naturstandort von Pleione chunii Tso. Die Orchidee 49(6):259-261. Perner, H. 1998. Pleione humilis (J. E. Sm.) D. Don 1825. Die Orchidee 49(6): Orchideenkartei Seite 893-894. Perner, H. 1999. Pleione ? christianii, eine neue Naturhybride aus Südwestchina. Die Orchidee, Suppl. 6:11-15. Perner, H. 1999. Pleione speciosa Ames & Schltr. 1919. Die Orchidee 50(1): Orchideenkartei Seite 895-896. Perner, H. 1999. Pleione grandiflora, eine chinesische Schönheit. Die Orchidee 50(3):[042]-[047]. Pfennig, H. 1984. Neues aus der Gattung Pleione. Die Orchidee 35(2):67. Pinkepank, H. 1986. Pleione scopulorum W. W. Smith wiederentdeckt. Die Orchidee 37(6):264. Pinkepank, H. 1999. Pleione braemii, une nouvelle et spectaculaire espèce du Yunnan (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae, Coelogyneae), Orchid. Cult. & Protect. 38(2):27. Senger, I. and G. Senger 1998. Die Gattung Pleione. J. Orchideenfr. 5(4):231-246. Stergianou, K. K. 1989. Habit differentiation and chromosome evolution in Pleione, Orchidaceae. Pl. Syst. Evol. 166:253-264. Trudel, N. 1985. Pleione coronaria: die Suche nach dem nepalesischen Krokus. Die Orchidee 36(5):206.
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