Facebook.

[Derrick]

If one only followed this platform, one could surely be forgiven for thinking that almost nothing new was happening in the world of epiphytic ant-plants. If it were not for those very very few participants herein such as Jay Vannini there would be almost nothing of any value in these pages, which is why I now seldom visit. Sadly Jay will not participate in Facebook. Yes, they do have a bad reputation for their data mining of users, but I enjoy feeding them misinformation. At least with Facebook there are some very interesting inputs, yet it is very evident that little comes from cultivators. However, there is no reason why members that use both groups can not use a little initiative and report herein news gleaned from my forum. I am on record that I am very happy to share information but in fairness to my sources, it is polite to note where such news was obtained. Running Epiphytic Myrmecophyte Images takes up quite a percentage of my time. I do not wish to double my workload. https://www.facebook.com/groups/498723016920977/

[Stone Jaguar]

Hi, Derrick. Thanks very much for providing a link to your FB forum for those interested in this group of plants.

Sadly, the evidence thus far suggests that most of the small community growing hydnophytines and other myrmecophytes is not a particularly vocal one. Certainly there appears to be more participation online by people who interact with them in the field (i.e. enthusiasts located in Malesia and some foreign researchers) and that that community does indeed seem to prefer engagement on Fakebook. As you noted, I specifically avoid that site. I find the founder a dishonest hypocrite and his product to be a loathsome parasite of the needy, the narcissistic and the very lonely, while providing only marginal real value to the arts, commerce and science. Its impact on global society and civilized discourse is, IMO, overwhelmingly negative. It richly deserves both the heavy boot of  burro-cracy on its fat neck and to be the target of multiple, multi-billion dollar class actions.

That opinion aside, I will be launching my own tropical natural history oriented website with a couple good friends in a few weeks that will also carry information on cultivating offbeat plants, including all genera of hydnophytines. Like others I know, I am disheartened that this particular forum did not develop the enthusiastic following that some of us believe it warranted.

Sincerely,

J

 

[Derrick]

Hello Jay.  Yes its a strange world we live in. Many of my valued inputs come from the resident of a remote village in Papua New Guinea that lacks almost all modern amenities, not even mains electricity.  Yet communication with the outside world is now possible due to solar power, mobile phones and of course satellites. 

I occasionally browse the chat group forums where much is of 'the blind leading the blind' type of discourse. It tells me there is a prime need for a modern article covering the cultivation of epiphytic myrmecodomic species.  Such a tome would first need to lay the basics of the plant groups covered. For example, the most pertinent of the five ecophysiological types of bromeliads (trichomes and their microbiota, roots and/or phytotelm nutrient intake strategies etc.) The structure of some epiphytic orchid roots. Drought tolerance or avoidance strategies such as in some Hydnophytum (they tend to keep their leaves) & Myrmecodia species (which tend to drop their leaves in drought.)  The basics of CAM at least. Also the need for better feeding for those species that are ant inhabited species in nature. I suspect that those with a background cultivating carnivorous plants get this wrong. For succulent plant hobbyists the need of myrmecodomic plants for high humidity which is essential for their survival of frequent droughts up in their tree habitats. 

I am not qualified to do such a project but you Jay are probably among the world's best to do so.  Perhaps send to the USA C&S soc or even publish a booklet.

I await with intense interest your new website.                                                     Best wishes Derrick.

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