garish. I will try and source an alba green or alba white diploid
breeder and may work into that line. These miniature types
can get overlooked in a commercial setting so sharp, color,
and lots of floriferousness are critical qualities.
8. Phalaenopsis Bronze Maiden (schilleriana × mannii) #1:
Again, the only pictures of the grex I have seen were uninspiring; this is a totally different animal. OK, I admit I have a
thing about Phal. mannii. As a child in New Zealand, I wellremember my orchid mentor, Noel Wilson, importing five
seedlings of Phal. Golden Palm from Kermit Hernlund who
was then living in Hawaii. They were quite reasonable yellows
for the day and what I noticed, as an impoverished schoolboy, the plants would do OK even when night temperatures
dropped to the high 40’s in winter. Heating Phals was always
difficult and that started me on a love affair with P. mannii that
has continued to this day. I have selected two from the remake,
both have an upright, branched inflorescence and I am pretty
confident this pathway could be interesting. I saw only one
registered hybrid from Bronze Maiden and it is Bronze Beauty
that a wonderful Phalaenopsis enthusiast named John Miller
from Anaheim registered many years ago now.
9. Phalaenopsis Marie Linden (lindenii × mariae) ‘NH’: This
hybrid was first registered by Moir in 1975. This fellow has
never impressed me, a classic case of quantity over quality and
he was never known for his Phalaenopsis either. Again, almost
forty years later and not one registered hybrid from it. I do
know Phal. lindenii is difficult to breed forward from but that
will not stop me trying!
10. I’m not sure what to call this one! It was sold as Phal.
(rofino × mannii) and I’ve been told that Phal. rofino is now
considered Phal. floresensis or a yellow form of Phal. violacea which would mean we may be talking about Phal. Malacea. I’m sure a member of the Alliance can set me straight but
the name is not really that important in what we are trying to
achieve. I see trade names as coming to the forefront within a very short time now. It is to me a very interesting plant.
Compact, flowers not large but long-lasting and lots of them.
Maybe it’s just my Phal. mannii predilection but I have high
hopes for this one as a parent. [Note: view illustration on Facebook.]
11. Phalaenopsis Mambo (mannii × amboinensis var. flava)
#1: No worries about fertility in this primary, over 90 registered F1 lines tracing to it and it’s still in use. Why am I wasting time with a primary that has been well-tried? Maybe just
stupidity but the lure of Phal. mannii is strong and when you
look at all the great yellows that were bred from Phal. Mambo
(even if the registrations did not record that!) maybe there’s
still something new to explore. I think we have a cross going
to Phal. Bronze Maiden which will get oryzalin.
12. Finally, Phal. Ambotris (amboinensis × equestris) #1:
Seems like this languished too since its initial registration in
1970. But Ed Merkle did register a hybrid from it at the turn
of the century so I feel confident it will breed for us also. It is a
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Phalaenopsis | Fourth Quarter | Volume 23 | 2013
handsome flower, very full for a primary diploid Phal. equestris line and if fertile, we have several interesting directions to
explore.
Thank you for allowing me to burble on. If any Alliance
members have breeding insight for any of the plants mentioned, I would be most grateful to hear from you. As I see
it, I may have three generations before I am gaga (and I don’t
mean Lady Gaga!) so time is of the essence. You have so many
hybridizing angles in the genus Phalaenopsis and yet I believe,
maybe foolishly, that some may have been overlooked. It’s going to be fun to see what shows up from our efforts.
[email protected]
Color photos - see inside front cover
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