Amazing Gesneriad: Deinostigma tamiana

The Deinostigma is a relative of African violets in the Gesneriaceae family.  Native to Vietnam and southern China.  It was recently removed from the Primulina genus.

The growing inflorescence actually survived shipping:

The leaves have incredibly long petioles, and with higher humidity, might be easier to keep rigid.

They don't like drying out, but in lower light are quite undemanding.  It shares approximately the same placement as the Gloxinella, although in the wild they're probably quite different.

So the bloom is quite pretty, and very clearly gesneriad:

So something for the botanists - this specimen is particularly unique in a weird way - the infloresence actually continues to grow during bloom

Yes that's right - you're probably used to an unopened flower reaching its finally location and then opening.  This specimen decides to hoist it higher ....

Quite amazing, really.

These blooms can stay on for a bit, sometimes a whole week.

This picture is about five days after the previous

The leaves accumulate damage relatively easily, but otherwise the plant seems easy-going enough.