C. Motte Spot x Rlc. Hilo Grand, a stepping stone hybrid

[Fairorchids]

As you might have noticed, I am a fan of spotted Cattleyas. Back in early 2018, one of my sources in HI offered the above hybrid in plug size.

C. Motte Spot is a typical C. aclandiae based spotted hybrid (it also has C. guttata in the background).

Rlc. Hilo Grand is a classic corsage type Cattleya. It apparently comes in both white/semi-alba and pink forms.

Currently, there are no corsage types with spotted flowers, so I could not resist these (I think I bought 10). The first one just started blooming.

The shape of the buds was similar to the aclandiae type hybrids (somewhat curved, like a large comma). And, on the outside of the buds, it looked like there should be spots.

When the flower actually opened, it looks more like the corsage type. It has a standard lip (rather than the spade type of aclandiae/guttata hybrids), but virtually no visible spotting. There is a light stippling towards the tip of the petals though.

Based on the parentage, and the combination of stippling and spot markings on the outside of the buds, we know that it has spotting in the genes. So, to pursue this, I have pollinated it with two heavily spotted aclandiae types. One failed to take, but it looks like I am getting a pod from the other one.

I have 3-4 more plants of these due to bloom soon (as well as my two best Fred Clarke spotted hybrids to produce pollen). If anything materially different blooms, I will add photos.

[Leafmite]

It will really be interesting to see where this will go.

Lc. Acker's Spotlight 'Pink Lady' (Cattleya aclandiae x Lc. Acker's Madison) is another completely spotless aclandiae cross with nicely sized flowers that last a while. I don't think the shape is quite as nice as yours, though.

[Fairorchids]

I have now seen 3 more plants from this cross bloom.

#2 & #3 were smaller flowers, so not of use for breeding. #4 though, is large and likely a 4N (as is #1), and quite different in color. If you look closely, you will see some stippling, so it should be useful in my quest for large Cattleya flowers with significant spots.