Paph. Bellatulum x In Charm Greenery

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Wamboozi

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Paph. Bellatulum x In Charm Greenery

The first flower has been open a few weeks and the second is just starting to unfold.

ff51002ecdd59c5acc546657d1a099cb.jpg


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Really? Paph bellatulum crosses have been an integral part of complex Paph breeding from the beginning.

It has been used with success, but it generally takes two or more generations to bring the form back. Paph Paeony is an example. It has bellatulum as a grandparent on the Belisaire side. While Paeony 'Regency' has "regained" a somewhat classic shape, with improved, larger petals, one can still see the bellatulum grandparent's influence in the reduced dorsal size and a short flower stem.

 

Yes.
What was the point of the cross?
Bellatulum may be a grand parent in Paeony but that was 70 odd years ago. It makes small flowers and poor stems. I understand the use of eg. malipoense in modern yellow/green complex breeding; to increase flower size, strong stems and over come sterility barriers.

That's why I think its a strange cross.
 
Yes.
What was the point of the cross?
Bellatulum may be a grand parent in Paeony but that was 70 odd years ago. It makes small flowers and poor stems. I understand the use of eg. malipoense in modern yellow/green complex breeding; to increase flower size, strong stems and over come sterility barriers.

That's why I think its a strange cross.

Any breeding program that isn't looking ahead at least 3-4 generations is limited in its goals. Without bellatulum there would never be Paeony (1956) and its nearly 1700 progeny, dozens of them registered in the last 2 years; or F. C. Puddle (1932) and its over 1900 progeny again including dozens in the last 2 years. Whatever positive characteristics and combinations in those breeding lines came from using bellatulum helped keep them successful 70 or 90 years later. Using the best line-bred bellatulum available now may be just as influential in the next 90 years.
 
Thanks for your views, Kirk.

I'm aware that having an academic background in plant genetics and plant breeding gives me a different perspective than the typical orchid breeding mind-set. But does Ross expect a cross with Paph helenae to have a perfect complex shape? I doubt it, but it is a necessary first step to new lines of compact complex hybrids. Likewise, Paph bellatulum still has something to contribute, especially if one is looking for new lines in white/pink breeding. I think one under-appreciated aspect of breeding is that you must introduce variation to see differences worth selecting in the next generation.
 

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