This is the latest flowering from the same plant in the opening post. It's been 3 days since the bud began some activity - taking 3 days for the petals to break out of the sepal casing. Still opening right now.
Above: camera flash used. Flower still opening.
Note - the image at the time of upload was 1024 x 683 pixels with a filesize of 244 kilobyte. The OrchidBoard image processing software has automatically 'compressed' the image file - so that the uploaded image filesize became 74.2 kilobyte. So the quality (detail/clarity) of the OrchidBoard 1023 x 682 pixel image will not be as good as the original 1024 x 683 pixel image. That's due to OrchidBoard's image-processing-software applying '
compression' on uploaded images. I have no problem with that - but simply mentioning this after having just noticed it
UPDATE: I will call this one
Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton m. Splash' - unofficially, as a long-time and very experienced orchid breeder kindly mentioned to me that he had seen this one a very long time ago - a result of mutation from 'Sweet Afton' mericloning. It is not a mutated
selfing of 'Sweet Afton'.
In any case - it means this particular orchid is
not a 'Sweet Afton' even though it is very closely related to it.
Above: no camera flash - much more flower opening to go (I hope!). Notice that the left-hand side of the lip (or rather - the front lobe) is lower in level than the right-hand side of the lip. Somewhat lopsided. It is like the palm of a hand not parallel to the ground. Tilted.
Above: Photo taken early the following morning. This is truly a case of
undivine intervention for aesthetic reasons only. The left-hand side of the lip (when looking directly at the flower) was at a lower level - relative to the right-hand side. This is just due to the way this particular flower had turned out while opening. I will see what happens if I purposely place a 'helping hand' or 'helping finger' under the left-side of the lip for a while. Maybe nothing will happen - hard to say right now. The idea is to prop it up for a while until the 'wind changes' or when the flower sets or becomes less flexible. It might not do anything at all. And it gets a bit breezy in that region where the orchid is - which could spoil things. But it's an idea. Undivine intervention
Above: A view of the lip looking straight down onto it - over the top. Petals still in the process of opening. A nice spiral pattern in the middle lobe. Stuck in this position is ok!
UPDATE: The 'helping hands' (helping 'fingers') idea actually worked. It worked rather excellently.
The idea of manual 'correction' of the lip position provided excellent results. This was done by using the 'helping hands' to keep things in place until the lip tissue became firmer - perhaps like the brand new wing of a new butterfly soon after it emerges from its chrysalis - requiring time to harden. The lip is now perfectly 'level', and appears to be permanently set. The 'helping hands' are no longer needed!
Above: The lip level is now permanently 'leveled'. I'm fairly confident that I could also easily use the 'helping hands' to correct the positioning of the upper sepal. And the right-hand side petal could easily have its upper edge lifted up little further using my 'helping hands' setting method (ie. hold for 1 or 2 days method, for setting).
There are actually much more versatile (modern) 'helping hands' devices (which I also have). I think I will try that device to enhance the shape of the right-side petal.
I don't think it's actually necessary to physically intervene. This is just being done out of interest and aesthetics.
Above: An interesting feature in the coloured petals is that there is white colour mixed in with the purple, giving the appearance of 'out-of-focus' petal tips. The focus was actually fine. The out-of-focus look is just due to the way the colours formed in the sides of the petals.
A note to the previous owner of this particular orchid. A genuine and tremendous thanks goes out to you for so generously allowing me the opportunity to grow this very elegant orchid. You are a great person and a fantastic orchid grower.
Also - the grex
Memoria Helen Brown came from the work of
Fred A. Stewart of
Stewart Orchids.
Linear Mode
