Cattleya trianae - semi-alba/alba flip flop

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There are only a few AOS awarded semi-alba and alba trianae, indicating that they are probably genetically difficult to create. Jerry Fischer at Orchids Limited obtained a division of trianae semi-alba ‘Queen of Snows’ decades ago from an outstanding orchid grower, Dr. Clarence Schubert in Madison Wisconsin (picture from Orchids Limited).

queen.jpg
Dr. Schubert obtained this plant in the first half of the 20th century either as a direct import from Columbia or from England where he worked for a while as an ENT specialist. Jerry self-pollinated ‘Queen of Snows’ and many of the progeny turned out alba as in the following Orchids Limited picture.

snow.jpg
Two of these sibling alba cultivars (‘White Queen’ and ‘Snow Queen’) were then crossed, hoping for more albas, and I purchased a seedling. However, the first flowering of my plant showed neither an alba nor a pure semi-alba flower. Some of the cyanin pigmentation was restored to the distal lip, but there was also some faint pink coloration of the petals (a little stronger on the posterior side) and the sepals are more cream colored. The average substance, configuration, and size of the flowers do not suggest polyploidy.

IMG_2451.jpeg
The genetics of Cattleya coloration are complicated. The cyanin color in the distal lip of ‘Queen of Snows’ must be genetically recessive. When it was self-pollinated, some progeny received only single copies of some genes and lost pigment. However, when two of these alba plants were crossed, some of the progeny expectedly received double copies of some recessive genes, restoring some pigment in the lip, petals, and sepals.

I think I will grow this plant through an additional flowering, but I don’t think it will end up being a keeper in my collection. I think a good cultivar name for this plant would be ‘Betwixt and Between’.
 
Indeed, very interesting genetic inheritance schematics.

I would not have thought a selfing of QOS would eliminate the lavender blotch on lip.
Without a lot of experience breeding with a plant, it is almost impossible to know what traits are recessive and dominant so it is hard to predict what will reliably pass from a parent and in what proportion. I think some of our classic, major Cattleya parents were used because they reliably transmitted treated. They were probably polyploid, often carrying two or more dominant genes for something. That let them pass on traits pretty reliably to most progeny. For example, I have read that Cattleya Horace is very reliable in passing excellent configuration to its offspring.
 
There are only a few AOS awarded semi-alba and alba trianae, indicating that they are probably genetically difficult to create. Jerry Fischer at Orchids Limited obtained a division of trianae semi-alba ‘Queen of Snows’ decades ago from an outstanding orchid grower, Dr. Clarence Schubert in Madison Wisconsin (picture from Orchids Limited).

View attachment 42567
Dr. Schubert obtained this plant in the first half of the 20th century either as a direct import from Columbia or from England where he worked for a while as an ENT specialist. Jerry self-pollinated ‘Queen of Snows’ and many of the progeny turned out alba as in the following Orchids Limited picture.

View attachment 42568
Two of these sibling alba cultivars (‘White Queen’ and ‘Snow Queen’) were then crossed, hoping for more albas, and I purchased a seedling. However, the first flowering of my plant showed neither an alba nor a pure semi-alba flower. Some of the cyanin pigmentation was restored to the distal lip, but there was also some faint pink coloration of the petals (a little stronger on the posterior side) and the sepals are more cream colored. The average substance, configuration, and size of the flowers do not suggest polyploidy.

View attachment 42569
The genetics of Cattleya coloration are complicated. The cyanin color in the distal lip of ‘Queen of Snows’ must be genetically recessive. When it was self-pollinated, some progeny received only single copies of some genes and lost pigment. However, when two of these alba plants were crossed, some of the progeny expectedly received double copies of some recessive genes, restoring some pigment in the lip, petals, and sepals.

I think I will grow this plant through an additional flowering, but I don’t think it will end up being a keeper in my collection. I think a good cultivar name for this plant would be ‘Betwixt and Between’.
Do you know if the fertility issues that apply to many of the fine alba trianae also apply to the semi-albas? I can think of several famous s/a clones, including ‘Trenton’ and ‘White Kimura’ that have the more classic full trianae shape and a closed tube that does not expose the column. I would think breeding with those individuals would be desirable, if they’re fertile.
 
Apparently Trenton is a reluctant breeder. Few progeny show up.

White Kimera is fertile and has been parents to a line of trianae semialbas. I have one child somewhere here.
 
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Thanks for sharing. Every Cattleya jongheana alba I have ever seen starts to have the faintest hint of color as the flower senesces. It does make you think that perhaps some of the alba color forms in Cattleya are more of a gene expression problem than a non functional gene problem. Small changes in expression could change color from functionally white to human perception to a dilute color, or exactly what you are seeing. A total gene knock out either through production of a non functional protein or no expression couldn't be rescued by recombination to increase expression. Very low production of a functional protein could rescue color production through genetic recombination by restoring higher gene expression levels.
 

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