How to collect the spores of Platanthera
A bit of knowledge to share with you on how to collect the spores of Platanthera and an introduction to the aspects of where the spores of Platanthera are found. The spores of Platanthera are as tiny as dust, making propagation very difficult. Reliance on artificial propagation with spores results in a very low survival rate, and the seedlings are also quite fragile.
Platanthera is an epiphytic plant with two types of leaves: the basal nutritional leaves are round or fan-shaped, closely adhering to the substrates; the apical ones are the sporophylls, which resemble the antlers of a deer, quite artistic, hence highly favored by people.
The sporophylls of Platanthera produce spores in autumn. The spores densely adhere to the back of the deer-antler-shaped sporophylls, resembling a large brown caterpillar. Mature spores are blown away by the wind and will take root and germinate the following year. In home cultivation, many people mistake the spores of Platanthera for pests or diseases because they greatly affect the appearance of the leaves. If you do not want to collect spores for propagation, you can剪 (cut) the sporophylls as soon as they appear. If you wish to collect spores, you can wait until they are mature and then cut the sporophylls, with mature spores being deep brown. At this point, you can either let them fall naturally onto paper or collect them directly by scraping.
The above is the information on where the spores of Platanthera are found and how to collect them, for netizens' reference, hoping to solve your questions.