Prince Edward of York, back by popular demand

Close up, Paph. rothschildianum 'Perfection'. Not sure if it got an AOS award, but I would give it one!

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Jason

Damn! Maybe lost a bet....I said by next week I might have changed my mind on this one. Sigh...You people and your pics!
Ok, so what might be the next best cross of a roth? Something w/ the Rex x ? (if MM is not available?) Any thoughts? Just *curious* of course

Jason, thanks for the beautiful pics of roths you posted! Lovely! Rex x MM flowers are the very best that I have ever seen on any roth. Flowers are huge, very dark pouches, wide horizontal striped petals, bold striped dorsals and the plants are a little on the compact side.

Heather, there is another excellent new cross of 'Rex' made by Sam of Orchid Inn. It is 'Rex' FCC/AOS x 'Sam's Best' FCC/AOS. It is just as beautiful as Rex x MM, in my opinion.

Thanks Pete! (so, you aren't counting that as a real bet are you? lol. Maybe I take back what I said earlier? We did not shake! ) Viewing multiple pictures is really invaluable and interesting to someone learning! Especially when having not seen something in person.

And speaking of learning, can someone explain the term "outcross" to me?

Sorry to act rather unknowing, but don't know and would like to!

If I'm not mistaken, 'Sam's Best' arose from Rex x MM. 'Rex' is a massive flower with a recorded NS of 13 or 14". It tends to pass on big flower size to its progeny, but it is also a very pale clone. 'MM' is a smaller flower, 10" or so I think, but with very good form and exceptional color. There was a nice plant of 'MM' at the 2003 NY show, which I took pics of:

'Mont Millais'

The combination produces some plants that combine the best of both worlds, and has been heavily awarded. Previously, the 'Charles E' x 'Borneo' strain of roths (from the Tonkins in CA) was the most heavily awarded. In my not so humble opinion, Rex x MM is light years beyond any other roths strain previous. I think strains that use these progeny have the greatest likelihood of producing the same quality.

Heather, an outcross is a cross between two unrelated clones of a certain species. That tends to produce the most variation in the progeny, ranging from very good to very poor (in the estimation of humans at least). A sib cross is a cross between two related clones, i.e. between two plants from the same seed pod. For example, some of the Rex x MM plants that won FCCs have been bred to each other--clearly a sib cross that may produce some further advancement in the quality of roths. And of course a selfing is a selfing. The least variation and usually not as vigorous as say, an outcross (the same principle behind the higher rates of genetic disorders in consanguineous marriages).

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Jason

Ok. I was almost getting lost until the "selfing" explanation, which made it clear as a bell. Thanks.

So "NS" = ???
I'm sure it is something obvious, but not sure what! lol!

Thanks to you all for being so patient with a learning paph-nut! (honestly this is applicable to all learning orchid nuts, no?)

Ok, if Heather feels stupid about asking what an outcross was, I think I am in her boat about a "rex". My brassia has that in its name-- brassia verrucoas x rex. Does that mean anything?

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*~Jennifer~*

Heather, I was going to answer your question but Jason beat me to it! Excellent explanation, btw. Thanks, Jason!

Jennifer,

Brassia Rex is a hyrbid made with gireoudiana and verrucosa.

Hey! I think I said "unknowing"!
Hrmph! I try to choose my adjectives flatteringly....

Good question though, PB!