A brand-new hybrid paph!

[mauraec]

This is the first bloom of this hybrid that was made by our friends at the slipper nursery. We have given them some photos of it, so that they can register it! Very exciting to be in on the beginning.


This is ([Paph. Red Sky x Flame Arrow] x Macabre). It has a venerable parentage, with the beautiful coloratum paph. "Watercolor Artist" in its genealogy. This was taken just before it opened fully to a very flat, very symmetrical bloom in all ways, and perfect proportions (in my unschooled mind, anyway). Since then, the dorsal sepal and synsepal have curled slightly back - can't remember if that is relaxed or deflexed.

[tucker85]

Absolutely beautiful!

[orchids^_^]

wow, lovely bloom!
looks like it has sukahulli in it parentage
Alex

[gardenguysorchids]

Nice one. Very much like many others. Will be interesting to watch.

[cdayinflorida]

Maura it is very pretty.

[HHLL38]

Nice one. Very much like many others. Will be interesting to watch.

Seconded.

[mauraec]

Good call, Alex! It looks somewhat like Raisin Pie, which is half sukhakulii, don't you think? I started to give you some specific information on how various hybridizers have been trying for better and better combinations of Maudiae-types (callosum and lawrenceanum) and sukhakulii, including occasionally other Paph. Alliances (my favorite is actually vinicolored paphs interbred with fairrieanum - which is in the insigne alliance), but I don't want to specify certain breeders and growers. This hybrid is about mostly paph. callosum, and sukhakulii, and includes a smaller amount of curtisii, purpuratum, mastersianum, and even smaller amounts of other species. The Maudiae influence of lawrenceanum is minimized - pretty much taken over by sukhakulii. Specific, huh? Just OWiz (it's incredibly helpful). The hybridizers, as far as I've been told, as well as read, are tweaking the basic Maudiae/sukhakulii recipe in order to get all the "desirable" traits from the parents, without getting the less desirable traits. Desirable includes, large, round, flat dorsal sepals, clear and vibrant colors and markings, wider, more horizontally held side-petals, and, if possible, a large, flat synsepal (the sepal behind the lip, or pouch). There have been myriad attempts to succeed at this, which has launched a whole market, arguably, of "pot-plant" (next-of-kin to disposable) slipper orchids with the less successful attempts.

Being a large consumer of the so-called inferior paph hybrids, and NOT throwing them away, I generally look to whether I find the whole plant attractive to me personally, and if someday, what I find desirable runs concurrently with what the AOS and professionals do, then I may become a hybridizer!

[orchids^_^]

you're really tempting me to go to my big box store...
Alex

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Stunning!! I love this slipper.

cheers,
BD

[catttan]

Gorgeous bloom. Love that sukhakulii influence.