Cattleya trianae coerulea

[LO69]

A delicious sweet chocolate perfume comes off this flowers. 2 more flowers yet to open.

 

[monocotman]

Very nice. Love the lip!

 

[terryros]

I was going to start a chain on my just opened trianae coerulea but it makes more sense to be part of this one with the above excellent flowers.

This is the second time I have flowered my plant from an Orchids Limited cross of two non-awarded coerulea trianae (‘Blue Moon’ x ‘Blue Amethyst’).



I am not trying to make coerulea Cattleyas a specialty, but because I have bought almost all my Cattleyas as seedlings from Orchids Limited and I think Jerry Fischer likes coerulea crosses, I have ended up with 6 attempts at coerulea species and 6 attempts at hybrids. I have learned from some of you, and a few of my own plants, that coerulea genetics are complicated and two coerulea parents may not produce coerulea offspring.

I only find about 7 AOS awarded trianae coerulea in OrchidPro. I know photographic conditions matter, but to me only one of the available pictures show much coloration to the sepals and petals and the coerulea designation comes down to the labellum.

I think that Leslie recently noted in a recent chain that we should look for grey-purple coloration of the labellum, but I struggle to know when a purple is grey enough! A few of the awarded trianae coerulea labellum seem just purple to me.

So, my question is simple: does my flower cross the coerulea line or is it just purple? The sepals and petals have only the faintest coloration to differentiate them from pure white. The pincelada on the petals does match the labellum. The coerulea color seems more prominent to me on the labiata {Natural World’ x self) or lueddemanniana that a few of us have posted recently. I am thinking that the genes producing what we call coerulea must vary in potency from species to species.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Both flowers are nice and coerulea indeed!

Terry, the eye can play tricks on us. And so can cameras.

The best way to truly understand the coerulea designation is to hold this flower against a tipo flower of the same species. Only then can you really get the ‘aha’ moment! You will then understand what it means to have that grey tone over the lavender.

Also note that the sepals and petals may be pure white or coerulea (light to dark).

There’s is the other designation coerulensis (or similar spelling). This colour is defined as a very light form of the coerulea, like a very very faint tinge of it (5-15%). It could be on the tepals, or just a faint drop on the lip. The best way to see this is when the flower is backlit.

 

[terryros]

Thanks, Leslie. It is easily a different color from the two other trianae that I have open now, one a tipo and the other a lighter pastel. Also quite different from my Cashen's selfing. So, I can see why we needed the category. But, not near as prominent as the labiata 'Natural World' progeny. I just have to stop thinking of coerulea as blue!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Thanks, Leslie. It is easily a different color from the two other trianae that I have open now, one a tipo and the other a lighter pastel. Also quite different from my Cashen's selfing. So, I can see why we needed the category. But, not near as prominent as the labiata 'Natural World' progeny. I just have to stop thinking of coerulea as blue!

Take a picture of those ones side by side and post here to see?

 

[Ozpaph]

very pretty

 

[terryros]

Take a picture of those ones side by side and post here to see?

Here is a side by side. There is a size difference because the trianae is a larger, more robust plant than the labiata, but I think the coloration difference comes through. Of course your recent lueddemannia coerulea would blow each of these away.

 

[LadySlipper]

Lovely, thanks for sharing.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Here is a side by side. There is a size difference because the trianae is a larger, more robust plant than the labiata, but I think the coloration difference comes through. Of course your recent lueddemannia coerulea would blow each of these away.

View attachment 31968

Great pic… you try the range of coerulea in different species. What about a picture with a tipo against a coerulea of the same species.

 

[terryros]

I think I can do that comparison tomorrow!

 

[Greenpaph]

Very nice! Chocolate aroma is a great addition

 

[terryros]

Great pic… you try the range of coerulea in different species. What about a picture with a tipo against a coerulea of the same species.

Here is a side by side comparison of my trianae coerulea with my trianae tipo (a likely failed attempt at colchicine polyploid conversion of a cross of two tipo trianae).

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Great photo.

You can see the gray tones on the coerulea clearly there.

 

[abax]

You won me over with the description of the chocolate fragrance...my favorite fragrance!

 

[BrucherT]

Here is a side by side comparison of my trianae coerulea with my trianae tipo (a likely failed attempt at colchicine polyploid conversion of a cross of two tipo trianae).

View attachment 31981

The labellae are so differently structured and shaped.

 

[LO69]

You won me over with the description of the chocolate fragrance...my favorite fragrance!

It's really something! And not so common.
Had only another plant with a similar chocolate fragrance an encyclia with dark flowers from Cuba but don't remember the name.

 

[NEslipper]

Very nice, and the plant looks happy! Congrats!

 

[NEslipper]

Both are beautiful, but that labiata is something special! I love how blue/purple the petals are!

Here is a side by side. There is a size difference because the trianae is a larger, more robust plant than the labiata, but I think the coloration difference comes through. Of course your recent lueddemannia coerulea would blow each of these away.

View attachment 31968