Successes – Hermetospheres

The blue iridescence of the red Selaginella

Iridescence is the name of shimmering blue metallic colors of certain plants that appear to change as the angle of view changes. You can find out how it is produced in Selaginella erythropus, why it cannot be seen with the bare eye and how unusual this is in the plant kingdom. Before that, it is…
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Tuberous miniature Sinningias

Mini sinningias are popular terrarium plants. With their geophytic life cycle, are they also suitable for the hermetosphere with its steady conditions? Information on the natural habitat, experiences from growers and an experiment should provide some insight.
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An under-researched plant family

Usually, when I place a new plant in a new hermetosphere, I want to know its identification down to species level. I have several reasons for this. In most cases, identifying the species is a prerequisite for obtaining information about its natural habitat. This information is helpful to assess whether or not a plant is…
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The Hoya from Kanyakumari

Wax plants (genus Hoya) are popular houseplants. At least this species from southern India also thrives in the hermetosphere. This is the impression I got from my journey with H. kanyakumariana during the first year.
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The olive-coloured begonia

First collected presumably in 1979 and scientifically described 10 years ago, Begonia olivacea is established in the terrarium plant trade by now, both as potted plants or seed. According to the recommendations for cultivation given by the nurseries, the hermetosphere is bound to provide the perfect conditions for the plant. It is described as lithophytic…
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Succeeding generations (3): Ludisia discolor

If hermetospheres are supposed to last over years, it is advantageous to work with plants that are able to produce offspring under the particular restrictions given (a.o. limited space, unlikely pollination). The terrestrial orchid Ludisia discolor has its own way of ensuring offspring in the absence of pollinators. The key to this type of vegetative propagation…
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Two great naturalists and a miniature plant

It is hard to imagine a plant more inconspicuous than Selaginella microphylla: tiny leaves on a uniform, branched shoot, monochromatic green, without flowers. Nevertheless, it was collected in 1801 or 1802 during an expedition through the rough wilderness of the northern Andes, carefully labelled, preserved, transported to the Pacific coast and shipped to Europe together…
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Nutrient recycling

In a previous post, I explained why I minimize the nutrient content in my hermetospheres and how I calculate how many nutrients I add to my substrate to start with. Even though nutrients are meant to be scarce, it can happen that a plant grows too tall or too wide for the container. The reasons…
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Succeeding generations (2): Begonia pteridoides

When plants produce second and third generations is one of my best rewards when working with hermetospheres. Plants have several ways to do this, e.g. seeds or runners, and not always it is quite clear when a next generation actually begins. In the case of Begonia pteridoides shown here, the situation should be unambiguous.
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Brooks’ Selaginella: Plant knowledge as a by-product of colonial politics

The history of the discovery and first description of Selaginella brooksii is, as is often the case with tropical plants, also a history of colonial activities by European states. The story of S. brooksii is far from unique, but it is exemplary and therefore worth telling here.
Read more: Brooks’ Selaginella: Plant knowledge as a by-product of colonial politics

Category: Successes