Phragmipedium kovachii

[Erythrone]

Mille fois bravo!!!

That species is not the easiest to bloom, is it?

 

[Gilda]

:clap::drool: Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Berthold]

This photo is not the best but you can see some yellow.

Thanks, Denis.

Meanwhile I believe plants without these yellow edges are bastards.

 

[SlipperKing]

"Meanwhile I believe plants without these yellow edges are bastards."

Hunnnn?

 

[SlipperFan]

Double Huhhhhh?!

 

[likespaphs]

perhaps he means hybrids?

 

[NYEric]

crossed with what? probably means runts!

 

[Berthold]

perhaps he means hybrids?

I confirm. Yes bastard are hybrids.

But I have no idea which partner can be involved to delete the yellow edge at the lip.

 

[Hakone]

crossed with what? probably means runts!

Speculation:sob:

 

[mormodes]

I confirm. Yes bastard are hybrids.

But I have no idea which partner can be involved to delete the yellow edge at the lip.

I guess I still don't understand. Are you saying that all the kovachiis you've ever seen have yellow on the lip and now you've seen some coming to market without it? Couldn't the presence or absence of yellow just be evidence of individual variation within a selfing? I've never seen a kovachii in person, only pictures on the web & some people say these have been photoshopped. So I wonder what you know that I should know too, *G*. Again, I don't mean to sound argumentative. I just want to learn.

 

[li'l frog]

The yellow edge on the interior of the lip is characteristic of Phrag kovachii mature flowers. It doesn't appear until after day 5, and is fully apparant before the flower drops.

 

[Berthold]

Couldn't the presence or absence of yellow just be evidence of individual variation within a selfing?

It can but I don't believe because the yellow edge is an extrem item of the lip and I think it has something to do with pollination and so it will be never absent at wild plants of that species.

But to confirm my theorie I try to find out about that colour item at all available and documented flowers.

My own plants from two different sources are not yet of flowering size.

 

[Hakone]

What is that?

please 2x click in the photo

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=...0149834847&page=2&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:24

 

[Berthold]

What is that?

a true kovachii

 

[li'l frog]

Pics of the Phrag kovachii displayed at the Orchid Growers' Guild show in 2009, owned by Chuck Acker. The first pic is day 3 (plant came into the show as a day 1 flower). The second pic was taken about day 8. Thank you, Leo, for the pic.

 

[mormodes]

It can but I don't believe because the yellow edge is an extrem item of the lip and I think it has something to do with pollination and so it will be never absent at wild plants of that species.

But to confirm my theorie I try to find out about that colour item at all available and documented flowers.

My own plants from two different sources are not yet of flowering size.

Thanks, Berthold. So what would someone hybridize kovachii with in order to get a flower that looks just like a kovachii except it doesn't have the yellow? Again, I do not mean this to be an argumentative question. Just wondering. Andrettae? Hmmm....

Anyway, My kovachiis and hybrids arent' anywhere near blooming size. sigh.

 

[mormodes]

The yellow edge on the interior of the lip is characteristic of Phrag kovachii mature flowers. It doesn't appear until after day 5, and is fully apparant before the flower drops.

Thanks!

 

[Phragmatic]

The yellow edge on the interior of the lip is characteristic of Phrag kovachii mature flowers. It doesn't appear until after day 5, and is fully apparant before the flower drops.

Thanks for the info, that's indeed what hapened to my flower.

 

[Berthold]

The yellow edge on the interior of the lip is characteristic of Phrag kovachii mature flowers. It doesn't appear until after day 5, and is fully apparant before the flower drops.

I cannot confirm this. I only know plants where the lip immediately shows the yellow edges.

 

[Leo Schordje]

Denis,
Nicely grown and flowered. By the way, for a plant that matures as large as kovachii does, 5 years from flask to bloom is fast, you are at the head of the pack, rather than trailing. Good growing. I like your plant. Nice flower. By the way, I have no doubt that it is truly a kovachii, no visual evidence of DNA from other species.

Thanks, Denis.

Meanwhile I believe plants without these yellow edges are bastards.

For what it is worth, here is my opinion;
Kovachii has not been in cultivation long enough for back cross hybrids to be blooming size. The key floral characteristics used to describe a species are all morphology related traits, morphology = precense or absence of structures and their SHAPES and proportions relative to other parts of the whole; shape of staminode, shape of petals, dorsal, pouch, etc. Color is usually NOT a significant taxonomic trait. If the only difference between a plant on hand and photos of the type specimens is the presence or absence of a little yellow color, the difference is trivial and not significant. Differences in shape of significant structures like the staminode or the pouch are key, color is not.

Again, nobody has ever seen more than a few kovachii in bloom, live and in person. Kovachii simply has not been in cultivation long enough. As you have said, you haven't bloomed yours yet either. Checking a photograph is not the same as seeing a plant live. The angle of the camera can show or hide various traits and distort the appearance and proportions of shapes. Colors are often shifted by photographs. Taxonomy from photographs is fairly weak, and should always be qualified with a disclaimer stating so.