Paphiopedilum The Last Empress (just registered!)

[DrLeslieEe]

I just registered with approval from the hybridizer for the name of this hybrid between Paph. Shin-Yi Sanders x sanderianum. With megadoses of sanderianum this hybrids screams sanderianum with its long approx 75 cm petals (possibly the longest in a sandie hybrid). See for yourself:



However, there are many components of the flower that say a sandie hybrid. Let’s see if you people can spot them! This time I will not provide any clues lol.

For size reference, the width of the staminode is 1 cm.

Flowered beautifully by my orchid buddy Andrew of Roehampton Orchids in Toronto indoors under lights with 4 flowers. He gave it a cultivar name ‘Kraken’.

The name chosen for grex to honor the Empress Wu of the Tang Dynasty who manipulated her way from a commoner to the ruling figure in a male dominated society. The ribbons resembled the headdress of her crown.

 

[NYEric]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. When I retire I will attempt to grow multies.

 

[GuRu]

Looks pretty and resembles a pure Sandie a lot.
Not really sure about the differences but from the first sight I would mention the shape of the pouch and the quite narrow stance of the petals. ?

 

[littlefrog]

Nice! Who was the original hybridizer?

Wish I had room to bloom out the multiflorals I have deflasked the last few months...

 

[Tom-DE]

I will start with the look of the leaves... they are more rigid and have those visible white/yellowish green veins on the leaves... Pure sanderianum doesn't show that or is invisible to the naked eye. I am surprised to see the leaves like that considering it has so much sanderianum in the blood...(it is (MK x sanderianum) X sanderianum...MK=philipinense X sanderianum)
I don't know what caused the mid-line on the pouch, It is kinda strange even for a hybrid. I have not seen that on either of the parents or I can say either my Shin-Yi sanders or my sanderianum has that trait...
lighter color, smaller flower/segments overall, with some minor differences but I need to dig deeper... something about the staminode.
The flower form reminds me a little bit of the sanderianum clone "Jacob's Ladder. It is a nice hybrid, but if anyone wants to go further than that, it will be a crime! because there is very little to improve but lots of confusing matters. (rolling my eyes here)...BTW, a good Shin-Yi Sanders can match that petal length too.

 

[tnyr5]

And another crop of fake sandies is born lol.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Looks pretty and resembles a pure Sandie a lot.
Not really sure about the differences but from the first sight I would mention the shape of the pouch and the quite narrow stance of the petals. ?

The pouch shape, the central line on pouch and long tall dorsal are some of the non sandie features.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Nice! Who was the original hybridizer?

Wish I had room to bloom out the multiflorals I have deflasked the last few months...

Shin-Yi Orchids is the hybridizer.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I will start with the look of the leaves... they are more rigid and have those visible white/yellowish green veins on the leaves... Pure sanderianum doesn't show that or is invisible to the naked eye. I am surprised to see the leaves like that considering it has so much sanderianum in the blood...(it is (MK x sanderianum) X sanderianum...MK=philipinense X sanderianum)
I don't know what caused the mid-line on the pouch, It is kinda strange even for a hybrid. I have not seen that on either of the parents or I can say either my Shin-Yi sanders or my sanderianum has that trait...
lighter color, smaller flower/segments overall, with some minor differences but I need to dig deeper... something about the staminode.
The flower form reminds me a little bit of the sanderianum clone "Jacob's Ladder. It is a nice hybrid, but if anyone wants to go further than that, it will be a crime! because there is very little to improve but lots of confusing matters. (rolling my eyes here)...BTW, a good Shin-Yi Sanders can match that petal length too.

You are on the right track. The upright leaves are influenced by the phillie as sandie leaves are broad and flexes halfway downwards.

The lighter coloration of the petals with no reddish tint on the lower half is another clue.

As for the pouch line, I have seen some sandies with it but really really light.

The staminode is whiter in all sandie hybrids that have stonei, roths or any if the larger types like kolo and gigantifoliums. Never red.

The segments here are larger than sandies with the dorsal length almost 9.5 cm vs 4-5 cm in all awarded sandies.

Yes a good SY Sanders can have long petals to 70 cm (average of awarded ones were 35 cm) but this Empress will likely get to 80-90 cm in mature larger plants (here it is first bloom and did reach 80 cm according to Andrew).

 

[DrLeslieEe]

And another crop of fake sandies is born lol.

Yes, this hybrid can be easily be sold as fake sandies as it is very hard to differentiate for an amateur grower.

 

[spujr]

The pouch shape, the central line on pouch and long tall dorsal are some of the non sandie features.

Is that line in the pouch a defect or a common occurrence in this cross?

I agree, the plant habit is a little too upright, I think? Sands I have are more flat and less angled up, but by no means have I surveyed the genetic potential of this trait in sands!

 

[spujr]

Shoot you beat me to it

 

[Tom-DE]

The pouch shape, the central line on pouch and long tall dorsal are some of the non sandie features.

I understand the pouch shape is a little bit skinnier /pointy shape but the tall dorsal? it might need actual numbers for comparison.

 

[Tom-DE]

Yes a good SY Sanders can have long petals to 70 cm (average of awarded ones were 35 cm)...

My SY Sanders has ~20" long petals. I thought my clone was good enough but never imagined it was longer(by a lot) than the average of awarded ones.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I understand the pouch shape is a little bit skinnier /pointy shape but the tall dorsal? it might need actual numbers for comparison.

All awarded sandies had dorsal 4-5 cm tall only. This one is almost 10 cm.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

My SY Sanders has ~20" long petals. I thought my clone was good enough but never imagined it was longer(by a lot) than the average of awarded ones.

That’s around 50 cm, a very respectable length. Can you share a pic of it?

 

[Tom-DE]

That’s around 50 cm, a very respectable length. Can you share a pic of it?

I am including my sanderianum (last two photos) as well so that people can see the example of both parents(*not the specific parents of the plant on the topic)
The pot is 5.5 inches tall(for visual help)

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Great pics. The sandie is gorgeous with those long red petals.

The SY Sanders has a very tall dorsal too.

What would you say the dorsal length is on your sandie? About 5-6 cm?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Btw here’s the proud father of TLE ‘Kraken’.



Congrats to Andrew for this exceptional flowering!

 

[Tom-DE]

Great pics. The sandie is gorgeous with those long red petals.

The SY Sanders has a very tall dorsal too.

What would you say the dorsal length is on your sandie? About 5-6 cm?

I've never measured them, probably around that figure...will measure it next time.
My SY Sanders doesn't have a tall/long dorsal either(the photo may show that but not true), all segments are much smaller than my sanderianum and that is why I called it "like miniature sanderianum" when I posted it last year.