I've had 3 Marlene Lundquists (its named for one of the founding members of
my orchid society). Its been heavily mericloned by teh Hawaiian vendors.
Mine have all died after 2-3 years of being treated like my other catts.
Yours is the first mention I've seen that it also puts out crippled flowers,
usually its drop dead gorgeous. Makes me wonder if our trouble might be a
result of it being heavily mericloned.... Or Maybe its just a twitchy plant
that doesn't want to be treated like other orchids.

Watch using petroleum based systemic pesticides when the buds are forming
and opening. I used an Ortho product (I forget the present name but the
label says it was formerly called 'Isotox') and got crippling and
pseudopelorism in a minicatt's flowers. If you use orthene use one of the
wettable powders, not a liquid. In addition to the pseudopelorism another
catt got buds that were like siamese twins, not separated along the
longitudinal axis, and another got doubling in the column. This time the
one with the column trouble bloomed perfectly. I was just about to toss it,
checked it for virus (it came out clean) and was extremely happy it bloomed
well this time. (Pot Egyptian Queen 'Inner Fire' - a great orange flower)

Speaking of virus. When I mentioned teh test results at the CSN center Alan
Koch mentioned that George King hybrids (of which Marlene Lundquist is
ne - Blc Classy Lady x Blc Geo King) were especially susceptible to virus.
Just get them near anything you suspect might be virused and they will get
it if its there. He keeps his George Kings in their own area in the GH. Of
course this is *anecdotal evidence*. But he's got way more experience than
I do, so I kinda sorta tend to believe him until someone else tells me he's
full of beans.

Having said that sometimes plants just bloom crappy. I have a Blc
Arabesque that always flowered with crippled flowers. I tossed it. Too
many good plants and not enough benchspace. I have a Blc Chia Lin 'New
City' that always blooms with crappy shape although others in my society
bloom it great. Its on its last reprieve. If it doesn't bloom well out it
goes. Blc Mem. Lancer Smith (also named for one of my society's founders)
has crappy shape (that one hasn't been mericloned to death, I think its just
an ugly flower with a *great* lip!). I think there are 2 out there with
passable shape. (One got an award
http://www.csnjc.org/Dec%202006/blcmemlancersmith.html but the shape is
still questionable) Ditto Blc Peaceful Dawn - never blooms like the picture
in the catalog.

Getting back to the Marlene Lundquist. I noticed the size and quality of
the plants sold are getting puny-er too. I just repotted mine and its
putting out a nice new growth. Hopefully it'll flower next year or the year
after.

I hope my grousing has given you hope to go on. I think Marlene just
doesn't want to be treated like other catts ( Lord knows she's a hoot in
real life) or pesticides were applied at the wrong time. If not send
Marlene to me. LOL!!

K Barrett




"Kingfish" wrote in message
...
I have a Blc. 'Marlene Lundquist' (and a couple of other catts) that always
put out stunted, twisted blossoms that never fully open and don't last long
at all. Why do these flowers develop like this ? The plants get the same
treatment overall as any of other catts.