How Do I Choose Correct Gensus When Id'ing

[D&S Mabel]

Great Day All:

My orchid collection was starting to get a little out of hand and I decided to number every pot and keep records of what I did to each and when. I also started keeping photos of each and other info.

Keeping the genus name I thought would help me understand how to care for the plants. Finding that info seemed easy as, using the tags as a reference, I went to this website and looked up each one: Orchid Genus Names

This covered finding the genus for the majority of my orchids but did not fill in all the blank and I don't know how to figure these out for myself.


For example, a Blc. is a Brassolaeliocattleya (B x C x L) but what genus is a (Lc. x Bl.)? How about a (V. x Ascada.)? Does it make a difference if that plant were actually a (Ascada. x V.)?

I have a number of plants that are like the examples above.

Is there a good website or publication that will help me understand these in laypersons terms? -or- Do I just list the genus as "Hybrid" and be done with it??

Being an engineering type, these blanks in my data are driving me crazy!

Any help is appreciated!

[Frdemetr]

D&S Mabel,
If you are going crazy, I have bad news about intergeneric hybrids: The Royal Horticultural Society - UK is the official registrer organization for orchid hybrids, and recently they are changing the orchid hybrids names, due natural genus names modifications. What is means? For exemple, much probably your "BLC" used as "Brassavola" the former Brassavola dygbiana, now Ryncholaelia dygbiana, and as "Laelia" a brazilian Laelia, now called Sophronitis (for RHS; other researches call brazilian Laelias "Hadrolaelias" ou "Brasilaelias"!!!); so, your "BLC" plant is much probably a "Rynchosophrocattleya" now! Anyway, you can find the parents of your plants (cross by cross) searching in Royal Horticultural Society - Plants: The International Orchid Register .Good luck!

[dave b]

For example, a Blc. is a Brassolaeliocattleya (B x C x L) but what genus is a (Lc. x Bl.)? How about a (V. x Ascada.)? Does it make a difference if that plant were actually a (Ascada. x V.)?

Blc = Brassia x Laelia x Cattleya (hybrid cross of the 3 genera perhaps a hybrid of Bl x Cat.)

V = Vanda
Ascada = Ascocendra (i think)

It would make a difference which is listed first, as this is the plant the pollen (male) was used from. The outcome can vary as some plants will have a greater affect on color, size, etc. in the final cross.

Over time, you will become more familiar with species and hybrid names. Just takes time. Reading thru orchid vendors websites helps a lot. (Hoosier Orchids, Oak Hill Gardens, Nates, Hausermans, Ackers, Gore Orchid Conservatory....ad infinitum. The 2 books, Bottanicas Orchid Encyclopedia, and the Orchid Encyclopedia by Alec Pridgeon are very good learning tools and inexpensive. Your local library may have copies also.

OrchidWire.com is a good source for info.

Oops, B = brassavola, not Brassia. Coffee hasnt kicked in fully yet

[michael_exler]

it maybe easier to catigorized your orchids by growing needs first.
For example Dendrobium is a very diverse family, and to treat all the same would be disasterous.
Instead try seperating your warm growing moisture loving orchids from your intermediates and put them in a microclimate suited for them, then look for those that require a rest period and and "tag" them so you remember during winter weather not water them like you would say, your vanda, that likes consitant conditions year round.
I am not saying the genus doesn't help, I am saying the genus gives you a place to start on growing media and conditions.
This board is a great source for helping to fine tune your growing areas to each of your orchids comfort zone.

[Dorothy]

Abbreviations

[Heather]

Originally Posted by D&S Mabel

For example, a Blc. is a Brassolaeliocattleya (B x C x L) but what genus is a (Lc. x Bl.)? How about a (V. x Ascada.)? Does it make a difference if that plant were actually a (Ascada. x V.)?

Okay. I don't personally think, although they are trying to be helpful, that you've actually gotten the answer to your question yet.

You should be thinking in alliances not in genera when looking at hybrids across genera.

So, a Blc. is predominantly the Cattleya alliance. Call it a Catt and specify the blc. part in your record keeping. Vandas and Ascocetrum are the Vanda alliance. Neofinetias are the Vanda alliance. Some would say Phals are in the Vanda alliance. Cypripediums don't seem to breed intergenetically but Paphs, Phrags, Mexipediums, Selenipediums - if they were crossed would still all by the Cyp. alliance.

Originally Posted by D&S Mabel

Being an engineering type, these blanks in my data are driving me crazy!

Any help is appreciated!

I am the same way, the Neos are making me a little nuts because they are all the same species and genus but have so many varieties!

I have a filemaker pro database I can share if you really want to get anal about keeping track of this. It's pretty easy to modify it to what you grow.

[dave b]

You should be thinking in alliances not in genera when looking at hybrids across genera.


I agree that you should know the alliances under which different genera fall. But, different genera and especially different species within genera may have much different culture reqiurements. Since one of the reasons of the original questions was to better understand how to care for your plants, you should find out what the specific genus is, then species, then cultural requirements. Much of the time, you'll find that general culture guidelines for an alliance cover many genera and the species within. But, if you put Aerangis out with your Vandas, both of which fall under the Vanda Alliance, youd bake your Aerangis in the sun. Same goes for the mentioned Phals. They are catagorized under the Vanda Alliance, but youd kill every Phal on earth if you grew it like a Vanda.

[D&S Mabel]

First, thanks to one and all for your responses! Lots of great info to ponder and some links added to my collection for research and learning.

Just when I thought all those little boxes in my Excel spreadsheet were filling up nicely, you all had to go poking holes in the logic!! I am adding alliance and culture care to my info list - absolutely makes sense to do so. I still want to learn the proper naming of my plants but it doesn't look like its going to be as easy as I thought before I posted my question!

--- I am looking for a better way to computerize my collection. Right now I have an Excel file for each plant with an info page and two pages of photos, one bloom and one plant. I also keep an Excel master list of all the plants with basic info in it. Would be nice to be able to combine them without having to spend an arm and a leg on software.
--- Heather, thanks for the offer of the FileMaker database but I don't have that software and it's not in the budget ($$$) at this time.

Again, thanks all... your knowledge and feedback are very much appreciated!

[gixrj18]

These sites might help you: www.theorchidsite.com/names.html
www.theorchidsite.com/abbrev.html