ofsmallthings

Begonia (sect. Gobenia) sp. Lita, Ecuador

February 9, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This is probably the easiest Gobenia (also known as Goo-bernias, for their tendency to melt…) to grow in the terrarium. It also handles being moved better than most from this group. Once established, it grows rather quickly. The leaves on this species are between .5-1 inch wide and long, and the stems are a pretty light pink/red. It will grow well over a well drained substrate, creating a dense mat, or it will grow up a vertical surface (usually stays […]

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: begonia, Ecuador, Gobenia, Lita

Sinningia sp.

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This unidentified species has gotten about 12″ tall, but looks as if it could get larger. It seems easy so far, but I’ve not had it long.

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: gesneriad, green, mystery, noid, sinningia

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Pellionia pulchra

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

Pellionia is a common houseplant and terrarium plant, suited to growing in a wide variety of conditions. It is often grown in a hanging basket, where it will develop thick cascading foliage. In a terrarium, it makes excellent ground cover, and will cover a substrate rather quickly. It also grows as a shingler if positioned to do so. It is one of the easiest plants to grow in a terrarium. It’s native to South-East Asia where it’s found in Vietnam, […]

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: asia, beautiful, burma, malaysian peninsula, pellionia, pulchra, se asia, vietnam

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One Recent Mistake…

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

As a collector, of information and plants, there is often an urge to organize, to categorize and put like plants with like plants (both informationally and physically). This is one such time where it backfired, certainly not the first, and definitely not the last. Most of my Selaginella species are only subtly different to my non-expert eyes, and now they are even more disorderly and difficult to distinguish (yes, there are pots in there, under that mess). At least they […]

Categories: Blog, Cultivation, Plant Photo Library • Tags: mistake, organize, overgrown, regrets, Selaginella, woops

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Selaginella ‘Taiwan’

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This Selaginella was collected by Adam Black in the north central mountains of Taiwan. The elevation where it was found was approximately 1200M. This beautifully shaped Selaginella has hints of blue and red in it, especially at the tips. It maintains a standard ‘fern’ shape and is one of the more compact Selaginellas.

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: adam, adam black, asia, black, Selaginella, taiwan

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Trichomanes reptans

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This beautiful filmy fern is one of the hardier species, and grows in nice compact colonies. The rhizomes are rather thick, and the fronds only stand 1-2″ tall. It has a very simple leaf structure, and like most filmys, likes it shady and wet. I don’t put any filmys in direct light, as their leaves burn easily. They do very well with ambient room light and I wouldn’t suggest putting them within at least two feet of any bright lights.

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: fern, filmy, filmy fern, reptans, Trichomanes

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Nautilocalyx pictus ‘Jade’

February 8, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This cultivar has been around for at least 20 years now! It is not very common, but holds it’s original name. Nautilocalyx pictus can be found in the Guianas, Colombia, and Northern Brazil. According to cybertaxonomy.org it is used locally as treatment against scorpion stings (doesn’t specify in what particular way). The ‘Jade’ cultivar is similar to the nominal pictus in the elongated leaves, but the coloration is drastically different. The nominal pictus has a bright green leaf center with […]

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: cultivar, jade, Nautilocalyx, pictus, pictus jade, silver

Melastome ‘purple’

February 7, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This dwarf Melastome is a wonderfully polite Melastome for the terrarium, only reaching about 14″ tall, with slow growing, compact rosettes. It can be propagated by taking a cutting containing a few leaves and at least two inches of stem, in sphagnum. I’ve tried taking smaller cuttings, leaf cuttings, putting them in potting soil, and it hasn’t worked at all. While not all that challenging to keep alive, it is a more difficult plant to flower and grow to a […]

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: Ecuador, melastome, purple

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Marcgravia ‘white sinus’

February 7, 2019 by ofsmallthings

This striking Marcgravia species is from Ecuador, and is one of the various ‘white’ species that are newer to the hobby (not to be confused with the older white species from Colombia and Panama). It is a slower growing Marcgravia (aren’t all the good ones…) that has stayed rather delicate looking, with only immature foliage produced in the terrarium. This lefthand photo is the more mature growth, (photo by Gilberto Merino of Ecuaflora, where this plant originated from) and the […]

Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: Ecuador, Marcgravia, Shingler, sinus, white, white sinus

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In Search

of Small Things

Author Archives: ofsmallthings

Begonia (sect. Gobenia) sp. Lita, Ecuador

Sinningia sp.

Pellionia pulchra

One Recent Mistake…

Selaginella ‘Taiwan’

Trichomanes reptans

Nautilocalyx pictus ‘Jade’

Melastome ‘purple’

Marcgravia ‘white sinus’