by Charles Nishihira
This beautiful Nautilocalyx from Peru has recently been described. Coming from sandstone habitats in the Rio Cenepa basin of Peru, Nautilocalyx rugosus is very distinctive from others in the genus. The large oval, bumpy and hairy leaves lay flat on the ground. Making a good-sized rosette unlike anything else. A few times a year, it flowers with large white crystalline flowers. It is quite the show stopper. Even though it comes from an area where it grows directly on sandstone, in the terrarium, it does not seem to require that. It is easy to propagate from leaf and stem cuttings, but initially growth is quite slow. Grown on a nice bed of sphagnum in a humid situation, you can expect to have a full-grown flowering plant in 12 to 18 months. Once in a while, a batch of cuttings will grow exceptionally slow and 18 months later you will still have little wisps of growth. Be patient, and once they do start, growth can be rapid.
