RE: Propagating Lycopodium cernuum

Hi Keith,

I have found that, although the kinks certainly work well for propagation, they are not generally necessary. Simply covering the tips of stems (whether they are vegetative tips or tassels) with substrate (usually perlite, but coarse sphagnum, and undoubtedly other substrates would work well also). Covering the stem tips is what "coaxes" them to produce new roots and revert to vertical growth (essentially coaxing them to form a kink). The darkness and humidity seems to be the key. Of course, this is a process that takes months. The stem tips gradually turn white under these conditions, form new roots and then grow vertically to the surface. I have found that this works for all the Huperzias I have tried, including squarrosa, carinata, nummularifolia and the Borneo square species.

From Ron's experience it sounds as though perhaps only moisture and humidity are necessary to coax the roots to emerge from the stem tips.

- Chad

At 01:34 AM 6/4/2005, you wrote:
Hi Chad

Lovely lot of info on growing L. cernua.

I was of the understanding that they were reliant but it appears the
disturbance factor is the problem.

I have found some peats to grow reliant plants better or only and presumed
there is Mycorrhiza in the peat, but also the fungi appears to spread very
easily from pot to pot.

Your mediums are known to me except the Arcillite.

I have seen layering done here and in Queensland of Huperzia, and if the
frond developed a kink or slight bend and was layered, it would in most
occasions create a new root growth.  That is generally how they are
propagated here in Aust from about 30 or 40 or more worldwide species.

Just recently saw some amazing efforts with a H. sp. Borneo square with that
kink on a number of fronds.  The entire pot was placed in the centre of a
nursery tray with a coarse open mix.  The fronds spread around the tray and
the kinks were pinned down into the mix.  After a while, to Ron's and
everyone's surprise, almost every frond tip that had continue to grow
normally and bend up the edge of the tray, developed a root growth at that
point also.

You used the word "coaxed", how do you do that?

I have some images of the tray layered H. sp. Bornio sq if you would like to
see them.

Keith

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ferns@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of Chad
E. Husby
Sent: Saturday, 4 June 2005 1:17 PM
To: ferns@hort.net
Subject: RE: [ferns] Propagating Lycopodium cernuum

Hi Keith and Jolanda,

I have had success growing Lycopodium cernuum (now called Lycopodiella
cernua by most botanists) in containers.  In my experience, its sensitivity
to transplanting does not appear to be related to fungal reliance.  I grow
the plants in completely inert substrate, especially a sedimentary
diatomaceous rock (finely crushed) called "Diatomite" and a baked clay
substrate called "Arcillite" (marketed as "aquatic plant soil" in the
US).  A nurseryman I know collected a few starts (small rooted plants) from
a population on a canal bank here in Florida.  He sent a few plants to me
that he was growing under the same conditions as his carnivorous plants, in
a mixture of sand and peat.  He had L. cernua spreading throughout his
carnivorous plant collection via "runners" (aerial rhizomes).  It seems
unlikely that any symbiotic fungi were spread from the original plants in
this way because the rhizoime tips formed roots de novo as they spread. I
transplanted the plants he sent me into several different substrates and
did some experimenting before finally discovering a growing method that
worked well for me.  When I transplanted the plants, I rinsed off the
roots, so I did not take any care to preserve fungal
associations.  Although the plants were slow to re-establish, this seemed
to be because the roots themselves were sensitive to disturbance.  Since
then I have had a plant send a rhizome into another pot which almost
certainly would not have the appropriate fungus (it was a container of fine
Diatomite with only a few sundews growing in it).  Unlike the Huperzias, L.
cernua propagates itself.

Regarding Huperzia cuttings, I have found a method that is successful.  To
succeed requires one crucial change from propagating spermatophytes (seed
plants) from cuttings.  Instead of planting the cut end of the stem in the
substrate, one needs to layer the stem tips just as one would when layering
an un-severed branch.  Unlike other plants (and even other Lycopodiaceae),
Huperzias only produce new roots near the shoot tips.  These roots then
travel all the way down the stem (through the cortex) before they emerge
under the substrate.  One can see the roots in cross sections of the stem
cortex.  For some reason, the roots do not emerge from cut ends of
cuttings.  Instead they need to be "coaxed" to emerge near the branch shoot
tips, just as in regular layering.

I find that using straight perlite (with a shallow dish of water underneath
to maintain constant moisture through capillarity) works very well for
layering both cuttings and un-severed branches.  This seems to minimize
rotting of stem tips because it is completely inert and very well aerated,
while remaining moist through wicking from the water reservoir.  This
method also works very well for the adult plants and has become my
preferred growing method for Huperzias.  A major advantage of perlite is
that it does not break down like organic mixes.

- Chad

At 10:04 PM 6/3/2005, you wrote:
>Hi Jolanda and Larry
>
>Sorry Jolanda I perhaps deleted your email.
>
>Have I seen some interesting things about growing Tassels recently, but all
>relating to epiphytes.  These including one lot being grown from spore!!!
I
>have images of it too.
>
>As for L. cernuum, a terrestrial grower, it hates being transplanted,
>perhaps because they are fungal reliant, anything is possible if that is
>remembered.
>
>I know of no tassel which actually grows from a cutting, layering yes, but
>not from a cutting just stuck in like a hoya or fuscha.  Tassels will stay
>alive looking in this manner for up to a year so never buy a one stemmed
>tassel unless you see roots inside the pot.
>
>Never heard of layering L. cernuum, do they develop a "kink" like the
>epiphytes do?  If so they may have layering potential like the epiphytes.
>
>Keith
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-ferns@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of Larry
>Shone
>Sent: Saturday, 4 June 2005 5:46 AM
>To: ferns@hort.net
>Subject: Re: [ferns] Propagating Lycopodium cernuum
>
>Weird, I've never heard of vegetative reproduction other than perhaps
>division of the rhizome. I wouldnt think cuttings would work.
>Larry
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jolanda" <filices@pixie.co.za>
>To: "Ferns@Hort. Net" <ferns@hort.net>
>Cc: <p.del@iafrica.com>
>Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 2:46 PM
>Subject: [ferns] Propagating Lycopodium cernuum
>
>
> > Hi Fernatics,
> >
> > I received a question on propagating Lycopodium cernuum from cuttings. I
> > have not had any success with it, therefore my answer can only be what
> > the books say. However, I know that there are some of you who do this
> > successfully. My question: How does one grow L. cernuum from cuttings
> > (rooted tips)?
> >
> > Frondly regards
> >
> > Jolanda Nel
> > South Africa
> >
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