Neofinetia falcata Kokkouden

[myxodex]

This one is a bit odd, ... and I nearly threw it out. I was not impressed the first time it flowered in 2007. I found an old pic of it then.

This plant has grown on me over the last 4 years and this year it has put itself decidedly on my keepers list.

I wanted to show the plant as well here because I like it's growth form. The bigger than normal flowers (up to 3.5 cm deep excluding spur) are overexposed here and appear typically white instead of the creamy white they really are.

The leaves have an unusual subtle variegation with darker green submarginal stripes that are associated a greater
thickness in the leaf.

While the flower colour and the strange leaves are not the features that make me decide to keep this plant, but together with the frequency which which it sheds lower leaves, that turn bright red in the process, they cause me to question whether this might actually be a hybrid.

 

[Wendelin]

Good you kept it! It turned out very nicely! :clap:

 

[huiray]

While the flower colour and the strange leaves are not the features that make me decide to keep this plant, but together with the frequency which which it sheds lower leaves, that turn bright red in the process, they cause me to question whether this might actually be a hybrid.

Perhaps you are keeping it in high light.

Kokkouden (& similar transliterations) [Kanji = 国光殿 . Is this on the label of your plant?] is listed as a Fuukiran (supposedly a Neofinetia falcata variant, i.e. not a hybrid) in the literature and on the Fuukiran Meikan (On the 2011 Meikan --> bottom row, fourth from right.) It is classified as having Naka-fu variegation, i.e. "inner variegation".

 

[myxodex]

Perhaps you are keeping it in high light.

Kokkouden (& similar transliterations) [Kanji = 国光殿 . Is this on the label of your plant?] is listed as a Fuukiran (supposedly a Neofinetia falcata variant, i.e. not a hybrid) in the literature and on the Fuukiran Meikan (On the 2011 Meikan --> bottom row, fourth from right.) It is classified as having Naka-fu variegation, i.e. "inner variegation".

Thanks for that. I think you are right about the light levels especially given the purple pigmentation on the underside of the leaves. The plant was a mix up with Koukakouden and I was expecting a red flower, hence my disappointment at the "not red" flower. This isn't one of the more popular varieties but I really like it now and I cannot say exactly why. I was aware that it is on Meikan and the hybrid comment is just me wondering about it's unusual characteristics.

 

[Lanmark]

Nice plant! :clap: I would also highly doubt it is a hybrid because, as huiray stated, it is listed on the Meikan chart as Fuukiran. It is considered to be a naturally-occurring variant of Neofinetia falcata. Any outside genetic influence (which is doubtful but I'd also hesitate to declare species purity with absolute certainty) would be very slight and far-removed indeed. I can see, however, why you would wonder about it, especially in light of those traits which you mentioned.

The variability of this species is what makes it so wonderful! Plants with genetic influence from Amami Island stock tend to bloom easier for indoor growers, for example, than do those without it. This is because the Amami Island form requires less winter cooling and seasonal temperature differentials to iniitiate bloom than varieties found further north.

 

[myxodex]

Nice plant! :clap: I would also highly doubt it is a hybrid because, as huiray stated, it is listed on the Meikan chart as Fuukiran. It is considered to be a naturally-occurring variant of Neofinetia falcata. Any outside genetic influence (which is doubtful but I'd also hesitate to declare species purity with absolute certainty) would be very slight and far-removed indeed. I can see, however, why you would wonder about it, especially in light of those traits which you mentioned.

The variability of this species is what makes it so wonderful! Plants with genetic influence from Amami Island stock tend to bloom easier for indoor growers, for example, than do those without it. This is because the Amami Island form requires less winter cooling and seasonal temperature differentials to iniitiate bloom than varieties found further north.

Thanks for that. I was wondering about whether there might be Amami influence on account of the 20cm leaf span and larger flowers. As for the variation among the Fuukiran I do wonder how many "species" splitters would discover if they were able to travel back in time to Japan of 500 years ago ?

 

[SlipperFan]

Never throw out a plant at it's first blooming. That's the lesson learned. It is indeed a keeper.

 

[W. Beetus]

Nice blooms!