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).
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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’.
