rothschildianum "Borneo" - where did it come from?

[Shadow]

'Sam's Delight' x 'Black Star' are only 8 -12 cm (leave span). I think, I need a bigger rothschildianum too. I'm too impatient to wait 5-7 years for my first rothschildianum to bloom.

 

[silence882]

I got curious about the origin of 'Mont Millais' from a statement I read a while back. In the Nov. 1986 AOS Bulletin, Christopher Bailes, then curator for the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, wrote an article about the EYOF in which he stated:

"This collection was purchased from Sander's closing sale, and it is interesting to note that from this same batch of plants choice cultivars of Paphiopedilum rothschildianum and Angraecum sesquipedale have within the last year received a First Class Certificate and Award of Merit from the R.H.S. Orchid Committee, respectively, the former plant having been in cultivation almost certainly from the turn of the century."

P. rothschildianum 'Mont Millais' was awarded an FCC/RHS in 1985, so I figured it must be the same clone. I contacted Mr. Bailes (now having been curator of the RHS gardens at Rosemoor for 18 years) and he confirmed that he was very confident that 'Mont Millais' came from the 1958 closing sale of Sander's (one year before the 1959 Collenette expedition).

Therefore, I am reasonably sure that Paph. rothschildianum 'Mont Millais' (it's spelled wrong in the AOS awards) is a Victorian-era clone.

--Stephen

 

[Paphman910]

Hi Stephan:
I heard about this regarding Paph rothschildianum 'Mont Millais' a few years ago but I wasn't sure if it was true.

Paphman910

 

[Mycorrhizae]

...Therefore, I am reasonably sure that Paph. rothschildianum 'Mont Millais' (it's spelled wrong in the AOS awards) is a Victorian-era clone.

--Stephen

I was listening in on a conversation between several paph afficianados, including Alan Moon - former curator of Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Frank Smith, Terry Root and Harold Koopowitz at the Orlando AOS Members Meeting. The conversation was centered around Paph. rothschildianum 'Krull's Raven' and just how we got to this milestone in breeding. Alan Moon was discussing the history of Paph. rothschildianum 'Mont Millais', which is one of the parents of 'Krull's Raven'. Frank questioned Alan on the origin of 'Mont Millais' and at that point Alan went into quite a history lesson (This guy is fascinating!) on what he thought was the most important paph find in modern history. He said that 'La Tuilerie', 'Commander', 'Mont Millais', and 'Rex' were four of a group of five Paph. rothschildianum specimens collected by Sanders during the same expedition. The fifth plant did not survive. One thing that he was emphatic about was that they were all different cultivars - debunking the notion that 'Commander' and 'Mont Millais' are one and the same.

 

[Rick]

Have you got photos?

Bloomed this spring.

 

[Heather]

I was listening in on a conversation between several paph afficianados, including Alan Moon - former curator of Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Frank Smith, Terry Root and Harold Koopowitz at the Orlando AOS Members Meeting. The conversation was centered around Paph. rothschildianum 'Krull's Raven' and just how we got to this milestone in breeding. Alan Moon was discussing the history of Paph. rothschildianum 'Mont Millais', which is one of the parents of 'Krull's Raven'. Frank questioned Alan on the origin of 'Mont Millais' and at that point Alan went into quite a history lesson (This guy is fascinating!) on what he thought was the most important paph find in modern history. He said that 'La Tuilerie', 'Commander', 'Mont Millais', and 'Rex' were four of a group of five Paph. rothschildianum specimens collected by Sanders during the same expedition. The fifth plant did not survive. One thing that he was emphatic about was that they were all different cultivars - debunking the notion that 'Commander' and 'Mont Millais' are one and the same.

I find the histories of the cultivars such as this so fascinating. I wish there was more of this information somewhere. It seems to be such an orally based history.

 

[Shadow]

Bloomed this spring.

Beautiful plant! And how big is the flower? Is there only four of them per stalk?

 

[Rick]

This was a first time bloomer with only one adult growth. Only 3 flowers with a span of about 27 cm. I don't know if its just this clone or an environmental factor, but there is considerable petal droop reducing the flower span.

 

[Marco]

Nice roth Rick.

 

[paphioland]

This was a first time bloomer with only one adult growth. Only 3 flowers with a span of about 27 cm. I don't know if its just this clone or an environmental factor, but there is considerable petal droop reducing the flower span.

Krull Smith's mm selfing got an fcc in 2004. I belive it was given a 93 the same as perfection that year. Forgot the cultivar name. It had very down sweeping petals. Some people were very fond of it.

 

[paphioland]

The color was also very good on their selfing. Dorsal looked pinched in the pics though but I did like the shape. Primarily though I usually like the imposing look of a roth when its petals are held straight out.

Ken