Bau metallica

Natural range and habitat of Bau metallica

Bau metallica grows in native West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, in deep leaf litter in damp, shaded, humid lowland forest over granite.

Growing and caring for Bau metallica

Keep the root ball lightly moist in compost that holds some water but lets the excess drain freely. Perlite can help air reach the roots, and the pot needs drainage holes. Feel the surface and lift the pot before watering. Water thoroughly as the surface starts to dry and the pot feels lighter, while the roots are still lightly moist. Let the pot drain and empty the saucer or outer pot.

Keep the plant warm in filtered daylight and humid air, sheltered from temperature extremes, cold draughts and hot air from heaters. A humidifier or terrarium can help maintain humidity.

If a leaf develops a plantlet, wait until it has roots of its own and several leaves before trying to grow it separately. You can then separate it and pot it in its own container with drainage holes. Keep it in a warm, humid enclosed space with filtered light and lightly moist, freely draining compost while it becomes established.

Feed lightly with houseplant fertiliser while new leaves are expanding, following the label's indoor-plant dose and application instructions. Pause feeding when growth stops. Inspect the roots and mix if roots crowd the pot, the pot starts drying unusually quickly, or the compost has broken down and drains poorly. If the roots are crowded or the compost has deteriorated, repot in fresh suitable compost in a pot with drainage holes. Choose a slightly larger pot if the roots are crowded.

Bau metallica: signs of trouble and what to do

• Pale or tan patches after strong sun: Patches on the side that recently received strong sunlight may have been scorched by the sun. Move the plant into filtered light. The damaged areas remain discoloured.
• Wilting leaves: Check the compost before watering. A dry root ball and light pot can mean the plant needs water; water thoroughly, drain and empty collected water. If the compost is soggy, empty trapped water and do not water again until the surface starts to dry and the pot feels lighter, before the root ball dries out. If the plant keeps wilting while the compost is still wet, inspect the roots. Soft decaying roots indicate rot even though healthy roots can also be brown. If enough firm healthy roots remain, cut rotten roots back to firm healthy tissue with clean tools, discard the removed material and repot in fresh suitable compost in a clean pot with drainage holes. Keep the remaining roots lightly moist and water again as the surface starts to dry and the pot feels lighter.
• Tiny pale speckles with fine webbing: Spider mites may be feeding beneath the leaves. Inspect the undersides for moving mites. If you find them, isolate the plant and wash the foliage gently, including underneath. If mites remain, use a treatment only when its label covers the identified pest, indoor use and this plant, and follow every application, dose and repeat-treatment direction.

Keep Bau metallica away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

About the name Bau metallica

Bau is the Malay word for smell, chosen for the strong scent released when the plant's tissues are crushed. The species name metallica means “metallic” and refers to the foliage’s metallic sheen and colour.

Sin Yeng Wong and Peter Charles Boyce established the genus Bau in 2024 in Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography (Webbia), volume 79, page 263.

Sin Yeng Wong, John-Michiel Koens, and Peter Charles Boyce first described it as Schismatoglottis metallica in 2022 in Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography (Webbia), volume 77, page 160. Sin Yeng Wong and Peter Charles Boyce later placed it in Bau as Bau metallica in 2024 in Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography (Webbia), volume 79, page 266.