Rhycholaelia digbyana 'Mrs. Chase' AM/AOS

[Jmoney]

Originally Posted by Louis_W

Based on the photo it does seem to be an alba. Not much different, just no red inside the throat

I'm not sure Mrs Chase is an alba. The leaves are quite red-tinged with good light. I have to look at the flowers again and look at some old photos I took.

[Jmoney]

just peeked at the backside of the sepals. definite pinkish red. I would have to say it's not a pure alba, although from the front of the flower there is no trace of pigment.

I presume this is most pertinent in breeding. I see pure alba cultivars offered at a premium perhaps for that reason.

[orchidman77]

Tag to the rescue! Received my SVO plants today and the label says " 'Mrs. Chase' (4N mutation) x self."

Fred claims this is an alba, so who knows.

Still love it either way!

[Jmoney]

interesting, I'm sure Fred knows his catts! so maybe the original is 2N. I came across a pic of another 'Mrs. Chase' meristem mutation that had a very odd, even frillier lip if one can imagine that!

[Louis_W]

The cultivar 'Mrs.Chase' cannot legitimatly exist as both 4n and 2n. Based on that tag im supposing that he cloned the original 2n with colchacine. Thats why it mentions the ploidy as a "mutation". That would mean the cultivar name and any awards get evicted from the identity of your plant, but hey, you know its from good stock!

[estación seca]

I think the cultivar name sticks with all the mericlone progeny, even if their ploidy changes, unless somebody registers a name for the new mutation. They're certainly no longer the same thing, but the naming rules aren't designed to handle that situation.

Some people have re-registered cloning mutations with other names.

[Roberta]

If it gets awarded as a 4n, I think that the exhibitor can legitimately give it a different cultivar name. Otherwise it would carry the original name (like for sales purposes) It is possible to get an accidental 4n in a mericlone batch even without specifically treating for one. Mutations happen...

[Jmoney]

I'm going to ask Fred next month when he visits CT!

[Louis_W]

Originally Posted by Roberta

If it gets awarded as a 4n, I think that the exhibitor can legitimately give it a different cultivar name. Otherwise it would carry the original name (like for sales purposes) It is possible to get an accidental 4n in a mericlone batch even without specifically treating for one. Mutations happen...

That makes sense!

[orchidman77]

Wow thanks for the info y'all!