Cattleya bicolor var. punctato-albescens

[Rosim_in_BR]

This is the kind of flower I like growing, two-in-one! This clone has an interesting initial instability as to the basic colors (the brown in the petals and the purple in the lips). When the flowers open they are regular, as posted a few days ago, then five days later the brown turns into green and the purple into very light, almost white pink. The only color that stands unchanged is the purple in the spots, which fully shows up with the green background. After this transformation, the colors stabilize keeping unchanged for the next two, two and a half weeks. The flowers also are very fragrant!

Flowers:
Cattleya bicolor var. punctato-albescens on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The two phases:
Cattleya bicolor var. punctato-albescens on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Virgil]

I really like that change in colors, Another of your wonderful orchids

[tuvoc]

Fantastic, Mauro. I admit I had to check the spots VERY closely before I was convinced they were the same flowers. Silly me! LOL

Kim

[Greenorchid]

Never seen something like this, before... Absolutely stunning, Mauro!

[cb977]

Oh boy! I am loving the spots!

Now where's the link to Smellnet, Mauro?

[nenella]

Wow! never seen this either! wonderful - thanks for teaching us something new!

[isurus79]

Ive never seen such a dramatic change in color that wasnt a hybrid, specifically a B. nodosa hybrid. Thats really cool! Do you think that the color changing ability will continue as the plant gets older? What about if you selfed it?

[Rosim_in_BR]

It is really amazing what happens to these flowers. Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by isurus79

Ive never seen such a dramatic change in color that wasnt a hybrid, specifically a B. nodosa hybrid. Thats really cool! Do you think that the color changing ability will continue as the plant gets older? What about if you selfed it?

The plant is adult for years and these changes always occur under the same pattern. The colors gradually fade during the first four or five days then stabilize. If you carefully look at the first photo (taken right after the flowers opened) the green in the sepals already starts appearing. So, I believe this is a stable genetic characteristic. Now, whether the offspring can inherit it or not it is hard to say, Steve .

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Jan Pahl

It's very amazing how names could become so awkward when two or more different variations with recognized names occur in the same flower.

Beautiful flower with a strange exotic name

Yep, name combinations can become exotic and strange!

[Jerry Delaney]

Really beautiful Mauro. I've never seen this before. Is this a common form?