Ted Byers wrote:

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...


I deleted the original message before I remembered to respond, so maybe


Thanks for this. The only thing you missed was the variability I have seen
between successive flowers on the first inflorescence my only phrag has
produced.


For besseae hybrids (especially) color is influenced by
temperature. Colors are always brighter and more intense when flowers
develop in cool temperatures. The flowers of the same plant of Hanne
Popow (besseae x schlimii) bloomed in the summer and winter can be so
different as to cause you to suspect the tags have been messed up. That
might be what you are seeing. And the flower size and shape is also
determined by the prevailing conditions when the bud develops. A little
water stress one day, a stiff breeze the next, a cloud or two on the
third... With sequentially flowering plants, the conditions can be
different with each flower bud. With plants that bloom their
inflorescences all at once, the flowers are more consistent. And I
don't think it is wrong to suggest that for many orchids (not just
phrags), the first flower is usually the largest, with flowers getting
smaller (perceptibly or not) as you get towards the end of the
inflorescence.

You wrote: "And they aren't that similar, really, not if you have seen a lot
of each." This is undoubtedly why I can't tell the difference yet, just
looking at the leaves and flowers. I am nowhere near the stage where I want
to be dissecting such pretty flowers. If they are as different as Dends are
from phals, it is just a matter of time before I can tell the difference.
But it seems to me that the flowers of phals and those of even the phal type
dends are quite different, much more so than those of the lady's slipper
genera. Maybe that is a false impression created by the lady's slipper
cultivars that appeal to me.


Dendrobium phalaenopsis is called that because the flowers are like
Phalaenopsis. It is an extreme example. The plants themselves are very
different. And the flowers are pretty different, but similar enough to
cause confusion if you haven't seen a lot of orchids. Phrags and paphs
are much more similar to each other (especially the vegetative parts),
so there is no shame in not being able to tell them apart at a glance.
When you have seen a few thousand of each you will get pretty good at
it. I might make a mistake once in a while myself, just looking at
plants. With a flowering plant it is much, much easier. Practice makes
pretty good (not perfect!).

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit