Harvesting and growing aerial offsets from Orthophytum

摘要

Among the species of Or-thophytum, one of the largest recognizable groups is Orthophjtum subcomplex disjunctum. To oversimplify these are the species that produce elongate inflorescences with specialized flower-bearing structures that look somewhat like small cones with their tightly spiraled, thick, stiff, usually recurved floral bracts (Fig. 1). These cones are always formed at the top of the aboveground stem, and in many cases they also appear as axillary branches from leaf-like structures that are technically primary bracts. With many species in the complex, it is common for offsets to be produced at the apex of both the lateral and terminal cones.