Florivern Herbarium · Sheet HERB-03
Det. — species determination
Goeppertia orbifolia
Orbifolia Prayer Plant
Fam.
Marantaceae
Broad-leafed rhizomatous perennial with celadon-silver striations and nyctinastic pulvinus joints that elevate the foliage vertically at dusk.
Hab. — where it grows wild
Humid tropical forest floor of Bolivia
HERB-03
Characters
Group
Tropical Foliage
Setting
Indoor
Size class
Medium Specimen (40–100 cm)
Temperament
Moderate / Attentive
Animals
Pet Safe (ASPCA Non-Toxic)
Sheet II — Conditions of cultivation
How it has been grown,
and what changes it.
Maintain consistent, lightly damp moisture in the root zone using filtered, rainwater, or low-mineral water (< 50 ppm TDS) to prevent fluoride and chloride leaf-margin necrosis. Reduce irrigation volume slightly in winter while keeping humidity stable.
60% – 80% RH (essential for crisp foliar margins)
18°C – 26°C (65°F – 78°F); avoid cold drafts below 15°C
Air temperature as recorded for this species in cultivation. Cold drafts matter more than the average.
Moisture-retentive yet aerated terrestrial forest mix: 50% buffered coco coir, 25% fine orchid bark, 15% perlite, 10% horticultural charcoal (pH 6.0–6.5).
Height 55–85 cm; pleated rotund leaves 25–35 cm across
Sheet III — Animals and households
If a cat, a dog or a child shares the room
Recorded non-toxic
Listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Non-toxic is not the same as edible — chewed leaves can still upset a stomach.
The record
Confirmed non-toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center records for Marantaceae (Calathea / Goeppertia spp.).
Florivern is a herbarium and a shop, not a veterinary authority. If you suspect a plant has been eaten, call your veterinarian or an animal poison control line.
Sheet IV — Monograph
Notes toward cultivation
Nyctinastic Rhythm & Solute Sensitivity
Goeppertia orbifolia regulates turgor pressure within specialized motor cells (the pulvinus) at the distal apex of each petiole, raising its broad silver-banded blades vertically at nightfall. Because its thin leaf cuticles transpire rapidly, dissolved tap-water salts accumulate at the hydathodes unless irrigated with low-mineral water.
Why the leaves move
Like other members of the prayer-plant family, orbifolia raises its leaves in the evening and lowers them in the morning. The movement is driven by a small joint at the top of each leaf stalk, and seeing it is a sign that the plant is healthy and turgid.
In cultivation
Give it medium to bright, indirect light; direct sun fades and scorches the striped leaves. Keep the mix lightly and evenly moist rather than letting it dry out, and keep it out of cold drafts and away from heaters. Higher humidity helps keep leaf edges clean.
Water quality
Orbifolia is known for being sensitive to dissolved minerals. If leaf margins brown despite good watering habits, try rain, filtered or distilled water and flush the pot occasionally.
Common problems
Curling leaves usually mean the plant is thirsty or the air is too dry.
Brown, crispy edges are common with dry air or hard water.
Fine webbing under the leaves is a sign of spider mites, which favor dry conditions.
Supplementary plates
Plates show cultivated individuals, not a type specimen. Leaf form, color and habit vary between plants of the same species.
Sheet V — Cited in the Journal
Further reading on this plant
Held in the Store
Specimens and materials
Goeppertia Orbifolia — Silver-Striated Specimen
In Stock
$78
Shigaraki Reduction-Fired Cylinder Vessel
In Stock
$120
Each specimen is an individual plant; size and form differ from the plates on this sheet.