It seems to me that a lot of people have difficulty understanding the
information provided by the tag and what it tells us about the plant. That
'cultivar name' in particular really throws some people. It is worth it to
every collector to learn how to read and write those darn tags. At a show
once I found a Phal species with a tag that read: Phal. cornu-cervi
'RedWing'. There was a whole group of them all labeled the same and so I
asked the vendor if the plant was a stem prop or a mericlone and she looked
at the tag and responded: "They are all seed grown and every one will be
different." You would have to understand what the tag told me about the
group of plants to know why the vendor's response was a complete
contradiction: either she didn't know what she was talking about or the tag
was wrong. So I asked, "So these are not all the clone 'RedWing' but
seedlings?" and her answer was "Oh no, they're all 'RedWing'" and that was
about all I could take. Of course, I bought the plant anyway.

The above scenario is one of the essay questions on your test and you won't
get your 'official' orchid addict card until you can explain why it did not
make sense. Of course you can go on collecting orchids and even selling
them apparently without having a clue, but you will have to do it without
any official looking card in your wallet.

The species percentage chart in wildcat is interesting but it can easily
mislead and should only be used as a vague guide to understanding what a
particular plant or group of plants will look like. If the tiny purple
flower genes of equestris are heavily selected for over 15 generations of
hybridizing the chart might hint that the plant is only 5% equestris (since
it was used twice 13 generations ago) but the flower might look very much
like equestris and indeed have inherited a much greater or lesser percentage
of genes from this species. Gene segregation during sexual reproduction is
not known for it's mathematical precision.

The second tree chart from wildcat that Ray posted later in this thread
tells you a bit more. Used together with the percentage chart and LOTS of
knowledge of breeding trends over the generations it took to make the cross
(to better help you determine the characteristics of the particular
'cultivar' of a registered grex that was in fashion and probably used as the
great-great-great grand parent) and you can make an educated guess as to
what a plant might look like when it blooms...and still be wrong a fair
portion of the time, especially if you try to be very specific. Of course,
I know from experience that when a vendor answers the question "What color
is this one going to be?" with something as waffle-ly as "Ah, maybe a large
solid yellow but white is possible and so is yellow with red spots or bars",
that the plant will probably not be sold.

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Actually Joanna, 'Carmela' and 'Joe' could be from the very same parents.

Basically, once a cross is bloomed and named, such as Orchid World, each
and
every plant from the cross of Malibu Imp and Deventeriana - even if it's
the
reciprocal cross, Deventeriana x Malibu Imp - is Orchid World.

From among the different Orchid Worlds out there, some are likely to have
outstanding characteristics, so the owner has the right to attach a
cultivar
name to the plant, in these cases, 'Joe' and 'Carmela.' They could have
been from the very same seed capsule or from a totally different set of
parents.

Anyone can attach a cultivar name to any plant they own that does not
already have one. There is no registration involved as there is for grex
names like "Orchid World." If I got a particularly nice Orchid World, I
could print the tag to say Phalaenopsis Orchid World 'First Rays', but if
I
had 'Joe' it would always be 'Joe'.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Claude,
It just so happens that I had inquired about the parentage of a Phal
Orchid
World 'Joe' on alt.binaries.pictures.orchids recently, and Susan
Erickson
had responded. If I understand correctly the perantage of 'Carmela'
should
be the same as the 'Joe', but maybe just from different growers, right?
Here
is Sue's response to my query:
"Susan Erickson" wrote

It is Phal Malibu Imp x Deventeriana

It is 50 % amboinensis,

25% amabilis

12.5% lueddemannia

and finally 12.5% violacea.

SuE

"Claude" wrote in message
...
Hello!

I have the Phal. Orchid World `Carmela `and I would like to know how
to
you
do to find out the parent of this plant?

I tried a few database but it`s not working or I am completely dumb.

Claude