Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi fma chattaladae

[theshatterings]

Great thread! I really enjoyed reading about the breeding that has gone behind these species which is not always clear or available for most hobbyists. One reason, I recently found out, why talking to the breeders and growers at orchid events like Redland is quite invaluable.

Also nice to have all the pictures to go along with the story. I love the cultivar 'Anduril' by far! Were stem props ever made from this? : )

 

[theshatterings]

Oh, and the Tolkien reference!

 

[rbedard]

I love the cultivar 'Anduril' by far! Were stem props ever made from this? : )

Never got around to it. Do have a very few choice primaries in the lab still.

 

[naoki]

Very nice thread, Robert! Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!

Paphman's is very interesting. I still wonder the genetics of this color (very occasional pale form).

 

[rbedard]

Paphman's is very interesting. I still wonder the genetics of this color (very occasional pale form).

In Phalaenopsis, to a first approximation red = yellow + violet, (carotenoid + anthocyanin); if the violet pigment system is broken in a normally red flower, you get a yellow flower.

 

[naoki]

In Phalaenopsis, to a first approximation red = yellow + violet, (carotenoid + anthocyanin); if the violet pigment system is broken in a normally red flower, you get a yellow flower.

Thanks, Robert. You mentioned this earlier. But I was actually wondering about the Mendelian genetics part. It is difficult to guess without the actual ratio of red vs yellow offspring from a given cross. But it seems to appear fairly at a low rate (suggesting that the recessive genotypes at several loci are required for the break down of violet pigment). In the case of the Troy's, which parent was used as the mom seems to influence the expression of yellow form.

 

[rbedard]

A lot of the time color variants feature traits that are not about genetics. The novel color is due to a malfunction in the cv that is not an inheritable trait.

Not sure what happened with that capsule at Troy's; if it was an entire capsule producing flava forms, and it truly came from chattaladae, then it does suggest a possibly nuclear source and possible inheritance. Would be interesting to raise a population of selfings from one of these yellow chattaladae just to see how it sorts out.