Page 23a. Rechsteinaria leucotricia

Rechsteinaria leucotricia Hoehne
Location/ origin: Brazil.
A member of the Gesneriaceae, this is the only species that is considered as a caudiciform succulent.
The plant illustrated is 30 years old from a seedling purchased in 1973 and now has a caudex 17 cm in diameter.
Each stem starts as a small chunky rosette, quickly forming a stem up to 200 cm long bearing four large silver-grey shimmering leaves each 22 cm long x 100 cm wide. As the plant ages all growing parts get bigger
Flowering starts in early April continuing into late June, bearing large inflorescences of bright orange, tubular flowers, each 5 mm Ø x 30 mm long. After this flush finishes, new extensions to stems with fresh flower buds

develop (hens and chickens) On very large plants this can produce a fantastic tier affect. As I write, some tiers are starting to form.
In the natural habitat it is said that the flowers are pollinated by Humming birds, certainly it must be difficult for bees to perform this service.
The grower can easily pollinate with a small artist's brush and only one plant is needed as this species is self fertile.
Later in July the dead flowers are harvested and shaken over a sheet of paper and the dust like seed emerges. Packet the seed for sowing in the following year. I have found the seed viable three years after collection.

CULTIVATION:
Fairly easy in normal C&S compost with some added slow release fertiliser. Growth in the summer is fairly rapid water as required, repot when the plant outgrows it's container. In the winter, keep dry only removing the current stems and leaves when dried out. A winter temperature of 7/10ºC is recommended, and good air circulation and light is best..
PROPAGATION:
By seed In Spring, see Page 23b, is the only satisfactory method.
Stem cuttings with a piece of tuber attached can be tried, but are usually disappointing as the caudex often grows lop sided.

SYNONYMS:
This plant goes by many names.
Common name: Brazilian Edelweiss

Spelling variations: Rechsteinaria
Rechsteineria; about a 50% split exists, I am sticking to the name I bought it under.

Changed Latin name: to Sinningia canescens
H.E. Moore 1973. Not likely to be a popular move.

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