Amazilia Lesson (Amazilia amazilia) lives in the western part of Peru and Ecuador, where it is quite common and even flies into large cities, for example, in Lima. Amasilia Lessona prefers open arid areas, but also occurs in forests.
Lifestyle and reproduction
Like all hummingbirds, amazilians are solitary and never flock.
The partners part almost immediately after copulation, after which the male can take care of other females (however, it is possible that the female mates with more than one male). Females build a nest from plant fibers and mask them with moss pieces. The nest is lined with animal hair and feathers. The use of spider webs makes it very elastic and it can stretch as the chicks grow. The nest is usually located on a low horizontal branch. The clutch consists of 2 tiny white eggs, which are incubated only by the female, while the male protects the territory and flowers at this time, which are a food resource. Chicks hatch naked, blind and cannot even move. The female feeds them alone, mainly by semi-digested insects (the nectar does not contain proteins necessary for the development of chicks.) With her long beak, the mother manages to thrust food into the stomachs of the chicks. Chicks grow very quickly and leave the nest already at the age of 20 days.
Food
Feed on Amazilia Lesson mainly with nectar of different types of fragrant brightly colored flowers, and clearly giving preference to those in which nectar contains a higher percentage of sugar. They actively seek out such flowers and fiercely defend them from competitors (not only from other hummingbirds, but also from large insects, for example, hawk moths). Flying up to the flower and hovering in front of it, hummingbirds launch their long tongue into the flower and suck out the nectar. Simultaneously, these tiny birds pollinate the plants they visit. Hummingbirds also hunt spiders and insects, grabbing them on branches or on the fly. Often, amazils snatch insects directly from the spider's web. During the nesting period, one bird can eat up to 2000 insects per day.
Where and how does it grow in nature?
The birthplace of the flower is the Himalayan mountains. The flower grows in nature on the coasts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, in the areas of southeast and south Asia. The climate of the tropics and subtropics is ideal for a flower, lover of shade and humidity.
Distinctive characteristics
Distinctive features of the Celogin orchid belonging to the sympodial orchid:
- Short roots.
- Pseudobulbs are round in shape, about 5 cm in size. Produce one peduncle and a pair of leaves.
- Leaves are linear, with a glossy sheen, dark green shade, cut with a fold. It is about 30 cm long.
- Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, have five petals, a wide lower lip. They are white, light yellow, light green and cream in color, often blotches of purple are present.
Cristata or comb (Cristata)
Pseudobulbs are rounded, leaves are belt-like. Peduncle length is 30 cm. From 3 to 10 flowers are formed on it. Flowers - up to 8 cm in diameter, white, the three-lobed lip is colored orange-yellow.
In order for Kristata to please with her flowering at home, she needs some care.
She prefers shady places with diffused light, high air humidity and good air exchange around the root system.
Fimbriata or fringed (Fimbriata)
Slightly flattened pseudobulbs are only about 3 cm in size. They are double-leaved, ovoid or elliptical in shape. Leaves are linear. The peduncle reaches a length of 5 cm, and the size of the flowers is 3 cm. The lip is triple and fringed. The petals have a light green hue, and the lip is decorated with cherry-colored patterns.
Asperata
The shape of closely spaced pseudobulbs is oval. Each peduncle produces 35 flowers. The flowers are large, 6.5-7.5 cm in size with light green narrow petals and brown spots on the lip.
Rochusseni
Pseudobulbs have a cylindrical shape, they produce two oval, pointed leaves. The flowers are lemon yellow. Exudes a citrus aroma. The difference between flowers in narrow-lanceolate and pointed sepals and petals. The lower lip of the flower is three-lobed.
Speciosa or beautiful (Speciosa)
The leaves are oblong, light green in color. Peduncles are short, 1-2 buds appear on them. Flowers of a yellowish-green hue, have a wide lower lip, decorated with a yellow spot with red-brown stains.
Flassida or drooping (Flaccida)
A plant with elongated pseudobulbs, long and drooping flowering arrows. Leaves are bright green, lanceolate. The lower lip of the flower is three-ridged, covered with bright yellow spots.
Ovalis or oval (Ovalis)
They differ in the spindle-shaped form of pseudobulbs. Leaves are rich green. The shade of flowers is yellow-green. Brown streaks are visible on the lower lip.
Miniata
Blooms in the winter season. Each peduncle brings four buds 2.5 cm wide. The colors are beige or bright orange. Pesvdobulbs are ovoid in brown color.
Miniata is quite capricious in care and in order for new flower stalks to appear, it is necessary to create certain conditions for the plant.
Bearded (Barbata)
The shape of the bulb is almost round, the color is light green. They are distinguished by elongated lanceolate leaves. The sepals and petals of the flower are elongated, white. The lower lip is greyish brown and decorated with fringes.
Massangeana
Large bulbs. Veins stand out on long leaves. On the flowering arrow, about 20 flowers are formed, painted in a cream shade. The lower lip is three-lobed, ocher colored, decorated with a yellow spot.
Mooreana
The height of an adult plant is about 40 cm. Pseudobulbs are ovoid. Oval-lanceolate leaves with a glossy sheen. The flowers are snow-white. The edges of the petals are pointed. The lower lip is covered with a scattering of orange-gold spots.
Pandurata
Leaves are belt-shaped, with folds. Bulbs are oblong. The flowers are large, with creamy green sepals. The wide lip is decorated with fringed combs, covered with spots of brown and black.
Usitana
The bulbs are elongated. There are noticeable streaks on the light green leaves. On each peduncle, about 20 cream or greenish flowers are formed. The lip is colored dark brown.
Temperature control and ventilation
The temperature regime is different, it depends on the type of plant:
- hot (20-30 ° С, with a difference in day and night temperatures up to 2-3 ° С),
- relatively cool (15–20 ° С, with a drop of 5–7 ° С),
- chill (15–20 ° С, with a drop of up to 10 ° С).
Throughout the warm period, cellogyne can be kept outdoors, but drafts should be avoided.
Illumination and location
Prefers diffused light, in winter it is necessary to use additional lighting. It should be remembered that direct sunlight is harmful to the plant.
The optimal location is the sills of windows facing east or west.
Humidity and watering
Tselogin needs a high level of humidity - 70–85%. It is recommended to place the plant in a tray filled with water.
Flowering and resting period
It grows actively from early summer to early autumn. The end of September - the beginning of October is a period of relative dormancy. Then the plant blooms until March, after which a dormant period of 15–20 days begins again.
Soil and planting capacity
The optimal soil should consist of well-calcined pine bark, charcoal, decomposed leaf compost, sphagnum moss, perlite, expanded clay or foam.
The capacity depends on the type of orchid. These can be blocks made from pine bark, wide and low flower pots with drainage holes, plastic baskets with slots and holes.
The video shows how to compose a substrate for cellogyne and which container is better to choose:
Fertilizers and feeding
Fertilize the plant with products designed specifically for orchid species. Top dressing is carried out when the growth period of the pseudobulbs begins.
In the resting stage, the orchid is not disturbed.
Transfer
Transplanting cellogyne is quite easy:
- They clean the plant from the remnants of the old substrate, rotten and damaged roots.
- Powdered activated carbon is applied to the cuts and left to dry.
- The root part is lowered into a container filled with drainage from inert materials, covered with a substrate, slightly compacting. Covered with moss.
Check out the video with the transfer rules:
Reproduction
Propagated by dividing the rhizome:
- The rhizome of an adult plant is separated, leaving 3-4 pseudobulbs on each separated part.
- The sections of the sections are processed, they are thoroughly dried.
- Planted in a container filled with moss, secured with wire.
- As soon as roots appear, increase the frequency of watering.
New orchids begin to bloom in the 2-3rd year.
Fungal diseases
The reason for the occurrence is lack of proper care or inappropriate growing conditions. Get rid of the fungus with fungicidal preparations.
Spider mite
The best way to deal with it is to put the plant in a warm shower and wipe down all areas of the flower. It is undesirable to use chemicals. If necessary, they should be used with great care.
Rotting pseudobulbs
Occurs due to waterlogging of the substrate, contact with wet moss, improper transplantation. It is necessary to cut off the decayed parts, treat the cuts with a fungicide and transplant the plant into a substrate with less moisture.
Leaves wither
If hard water is used for irrigation or the soil is too salty, the tips of the leaves begin to dry out, die off. It is required to replace the soil and water for irrigation.
Spots on the leaves
The appearance of brown or black spots occurs due to sunburn, content in too dry air, and increased temperature conditions. The conditions of detention should be adjusted.
Roots rot
The reason is associated with waterlogging of the substrate, watering at low temperatures. It is necessary to transplant the plant by cutting off the damaged roots, treating it with a fungicide.
Celogin's orchid is one of those plants that do not require special conditions at home. Knowledge of the peculiarities of the species, proper care will allow flower growers to enjoy lush greenery and flowers for a long time. In addition, almost all types of cellogin have a wonderful delicate aroma.
History of the Amazon region
The settlement of the Amazonian forests began about 11 thousand years ago, as evidenced by the finds of archaeological expeditions. The first large Indian settlements began to appear on the border areas of the jungle no earlier than in the 13th century AD. Europeans set foot on the lands of the Amazon only in the middle of the 16th century. The pioneer is Francisco Orellana - the conquistador, to whom this area owes its name.
According to legend, the Europeans were prompted to give the name of this vast area of Latin America to the fact that during the expedition the Spaniards stumbled upon a tribe of women who fought as desperately as the heroines of the ancient Greek myths "Amazon".
Harsh hospitality of the Amazon
"data-medium-file =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-10.jpg?fit=300%2C221&ssl=1 " data-large-file = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-10.jpg?fit=702%2C517&ssl=1" src = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-10.jpg?resize=702%2C517" alt = "Amazon: jungle journey Amazon "width =" 702 "height =" 517 "srcset =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-10.jpg?w = 806 & ssl = 1 806w, https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-10.jpg?resize=300%2C221&ssl=1 300w "sizes = "(max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px" data-recalc-dims = "1" />
Do not flatter yourself: the inhabitants of the Amazon jungle look charming only in the photo
The Amazon has never been considered a hospitable place among researchers, it was too many learned minds that this land ruined. Who died at the hands of representatives of local tribes, who fell victim to tropical diseases and insects, and who, lost in the pristine jungle "Amazonia Rain Forest", could not get food or water suitable for drinking, and remained here forever, unable to Find the way out.
Amazon legends
There are many legends associated with the Amazonian jungle. Rumor has it that semi-mythical creatures unknown to science live here, avoiding humans in every possible way.
There are also rumors about the Indian city of El Dorado hidden deep in the jungle of the Amazon, where untold wealth was hidden by the leader of a tribe fleeing from the Spaniards.
"data-medium-file =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1 " data-large-file = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg?fit=702%2C527&ssl=1" src = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg?resize=702%2C527" alt = "Amazon region: excursion to jungle "width =" 702 "height =" 527 "srcset =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg?w = 1100 & ssl = 1 1100w, https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https : //i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-25.jpg? resize = 1024% 2C768 & ssl = 1 1024w "sizes =" (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px "data-recalc-dims =" 1 "/>
Amazon Region: Jungle Excursion
"data-medium-file =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg?fit=300%2C209&ssl=1 " data-large-file = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg?fit=702%2C489&ssl=1" src = "https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg?resize=702%2C489" alt = "Amazon River, travel to Brazil "width =" 702 "height =" 489 "srcset =" https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg?w = 1099 & ssl = 1 1099w, https://i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1 300w, https : //i1.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/amazonia-travel-photos-26.jpg? resize = 1024% 2C713 & ssl = 1 1024w "sizes =" (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px "data-recalc-dims =" 1 "/>
Travel to the Amazon: extreme, not comfortable, but exciting!
By the way, with regard to the treasures of El Dorado, many supporters of the theory of alternative history are sure that they are not gold at all. After all, the South American Indians considered it only a beautiful stone of no value. But the ancient technologies, which made it possible to erect pyramids and ideally lay the giant stones from which their cities were built, had a price and importance for the Indians. That is why it was they who were hidden in the impregnable city, which is still reliably kept in the Amazon - one of the most severe regions of our planet.
There are legends and beliefs about the spirits inhabiting these forests. About mystical portals and space bases of aliens, supposedly hidden from the eyes of people under a psi-field, causing a feeling of panic when approaching it. And there are many more of this kind of folklore stories that have not found scientific confirmation.
Reading this, one involuntarily thinks about what scientific expeditions spend time and money on from numerous grants and government programs to explore the Amazon region.
Scientific discoveries in the region
However, over the years of scientific work on the study of the area, a lot of really valuable discoveries have been made. For example, It was in the Amazon that colossal reserves of rubber wood were found, from which rubber was made before the discovery of the method of its chemical production. More than 40 thousand plants have been discovered and studied here., many of which have unique properties and are used to produce expensive drugs that can help with serious diseases. For example, the modern scourges of humanity are hepatitis, AIDS and cancer.
According to scientists, more than four hundred species of animals live in the jungle, and more than three thousand different species of fish and hundreds of thousands of smaller representatives of river fauna are found in local waters. In addition to plants, animals and birds, scientists regularly discover tribes here that live in the same way as their ancestors lived thousands of years ago. Scientific work on the study of the Amazon is still ongoing. And yet huge areas of the jungle remain black spots on the map of the Earth.
The myths and legends that envelop the Amazon jungle are a source of inspiration for many - they are used to create films and write books dedicated to these places. And especially proactive people gather groups of adventurers to, armed with scientific equipment, set off to explore these places.
"data-medium-file =" https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem-Brazil-travel-photo-3.jpg?fit=300%2C201&ssl= 1 "data-large-file =" https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem-Brazil-travel-photo-3.jpg?fit=702%2C471&ssl = 1 "src =" https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem-Brazil-travel-photo-3.jpg?resize=702%2C471 "alt = "Belem Brazil" width = "702" height = "471" srcset = "https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem- Brazil-travel-photo-3.jpg? W = 1099 & ssl = 1 1099w, https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem-Brazil-travel-photo-3 .jpg? resize = 300% 2C201 & ssl = 1 300w, https://i2.wp.com/fountravel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Belem-Brazil-travel-photo-3.jpg?resize= 1024% 2C687 & ssl = 1 1024w "sizes =" (max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px "data-recalc-dims =" 1 "/>
A journey through the Amazon from Brazil begins in the town of Belém
However, knowledgeable people are not advised to meddle here without special training, equipment and a competent guide. Enthusiasm is good, but in these places it can cost lives. Better to go exploring the jungle as part of a large group and on a tourist route laid through well-known and relatively safe places. And then, perhaps, the Amazon will be more favorable to you!
