Cattleya walkeriana var. flammea 'Tokutsu' - Variable Flowers

[Anglo]

Inconsistent coloration in successive bloomings is a characteristic of C. walkeriana var. flammea ‘Tokutsu’ GM/JOGA. It might be a spectacular flammea in one blooming and a semi-alba in another. The cultural variable having the greatest influence on that has been identified as temperature during bud development. Higher temperatures, at least during the latter part of bud development, tend to inhibit the production of pigment in the petals and sepals.

In researching this cultivar, I haven’t yet seen an example of an original plant division blooming as a perola without flame, but it’s common among ‘Tokutsu’ mericlones, as is the semi-alba color form.

The first flowers of this particular mericlone were flammeas, but with only a trace of the flame for which ‘Tokutsu’ is known. The flower of the second blooming is a heavily-pigmented perola. There are also physical differences in the labella. In the first flowers, the lateral lobes were wavy rather than plain and the outer edges of the central lobes were not frilled, as in the flower of the second blooming.

The flowers pictured appear to be from two different walkerianas, but they were produced by the very same plant.

[isurus79]

That's a really nice walkeriana! The fact that it changes color so dramatically is really cool too.

[catwalker808]

Anglo.
I'm glad to see your post. I think that some of your observations can be applied more generally to other walkerianas besides 'Tokutsu'. Over the years, I have observed the effects of varying light and temperature on form, substance, color patterns and color intensity of walkeriana flowers. My plants bloom twice a year, so I am able to observe some variations even when we experience only a 10 F degree seasonal change. (85 F day - 70 night, fall bloom versus 80 F day - 57 to 62 night, winter bloom). However, I have also seen blooming divisions of some of the same plants under 55 F days and 40 to 45 F nights. Of course, the lower temperature conditions also correspond to lower light.

There are a lot of differences in the flowers, which can be attributed to the light and temperature differences ... as you point out. (You state that : "The cultural variable having the greatest influence on that has been identified as temperature during bud development. Higher temperatures, at least during the latter part of bud development, tend to inhibit the production of pigment in the petals and sepals.")

With all due respect, however, I must disagree with one of your statements. I have found with my walkerianas that, quite to the contrary, higher light and higher temperature, combined, tend to INCREASE color pigments in the flowers.

I find this to be the case especially with non-tipo flowers having varying color ... such as blushes (perolas), flameas, striatas, etc.

The original 'Tokutsu' is generally considered to be a white flower with a magenta lip & the incredible magenta ribs on the petals & sepals. (see photo of original 'Tokutsu' plant). As you indicate, the flowers of your clone , under different conditions, are either nearly semi-alba or perola (blush). I have 8 or 9 clones of 'Tokutsu' and I have similar colors as yours, on my blooms. During warmer/higher light conditions, the flowers are not as full and have significantly more blush color. When it is cooler, my flowers are fuller with less color, but with a hint of a rib color. (see my other two photos) I know that I will never have cold enough temps to bloom like the original 'Tokutsu' (I don't believe there is anything wrong with the clones. It just doesn't get cold enough here ... fortunately). I might even go so far as to say that 'Tokutsu' is really a perola (blush) that blooms with the prominent color bands, only when it is bloomed cold. (I guess it all depends on your viewpoint and local climate)

I have seen the original in bloom (in person) 4 different years. 3 of the times that I saw it (and other seasons before, I am told) the flowers bloomed white with the magenta ribs. Last year, however, I saw the flowers with only a blush, instead of with the colored ribs.

I have known Mr Tokutsu for over 5 years. He told me last winter and again this spring, that last fall, when his plant bloomed, it was much warmer than usual and that was the reason for the color pattern change (usually he would have 50 F days and low 40, F nights ... or colder).

I have also seen the same thing happen the other way around. One of my own plants always blooms a beautiful blush for me. I saw flowers on a division of my plant, grown by Mr Tokutsu's friend, under very COLD conditions. The flowers were huge, about 5" (13cm). They had dark magenta-purple lips. The petals and sepals were white and the sepals and petals, like 'Tokutsu' had strong distinct magenta-purple ribs. The column also had 3 distinct colored bands, even more prominent than on the column of the cold bloomed 'Tokutsu'.

There seems to be a temperature threshold for color changes. I had expected to see many of my plants lose their blushes when grown very cool. But even in some temperate zone greenhouses, there was enough warmth and sufficient light, that many hobbyists' flowers retained their nice blushes.

[Anglo]

Thanks, Steve. I agree on the dramatic color changes. It's interesting to grow a plant that offers such potential variety.

And catwalker, thanks for such an informative response! Until now, everything I knew about 'Tokutsu' beyond personal observation was from struggling through cryptic machine translations of Japanese web pages and evidently misunderstanding between its pigmentation in general and the flame/ribs in regard to temperature.

It's quite a contrast that while I was deciphering terminologies such as "valves," "wheels," "bowls," and "stocks" as they pertain to walkerianas and assigning intelligible meaning to strings of nonsensical English in sentence format, you were talking to Mr. Tokutsu himself. I'm really glad to learn that because maybe you can help me with some questions I can't find answers to. Such as:

What is 'Tokutsu's parentage?

Is it a polyploid? Maybe a triploid?

If not sterile, has it been used in any walkeriana breeding?

And thanks for including the pics. I've been collecting them from here and there on the internet for comparison. Yours are very nice additions to the folder.

[catwalker808]

Anglo. Thanks for clarifying some of the sources of your information. I was a little confused. I like to make the distinctions between results of formal research, prolonged personal observation, anecdotal evidence.

I can imagine what you mean about wading through machine translations of Japanese descriptions. I can speak and understand the language, but cannot read. [A little like how Master Yoda speaks the sentence structure is.] When you translate Japanese literally, the verbs are at the end (like German also with the some verb forms at the end). I have seen some of the written descriptions that aren't translated too well. Fortunately, in talking directly to people, the descriptions are not so flowery. But I digress.

The parents of 'Tokutsu' are 'Dayana II' and 'Puanani'. I don't remember who actually made the cross, but Mr. Tokutsu is the hobbyist who bloomed it. He is an excellent & meticulous grower with a sizable collection of real quality plants. Yet he is so humble, generous, sincere & quiet speaking ... a person you truly enjoy meeting.

I don't know offhand what 'Dayana II' is except that there is a semi-alba 'Dayana'. 'Dayana II' may be an offspring, or because of the appended 'II', maybe a mericlone which is an assumed 4N. 'Puanani' I know. It is a clone which came out of Hawaii. A batch of semi-alba seed came from Brazil in the 1970's. From these seeds, 'Puanani' is a sibling of 'Ann' AM/AOS, 'H&R', 'Tokyo #1' ... among others. A number of the plants are semi-alba or close. 'H&R' & 'Tokyo #1' were also cloned in the 1980's.

I believe that 'Tokutsu' is possibly 3N ... because of the possibilities of the parentage and the plant & flower habits. Although I have been blooming my 'Tokutsu' clones for over 3 years, I have not used them for breeding. Under my growing conditions, it it a blush, a perola. I have many excellent perolas & a number of my own tested lines of breeding (some very good that I'll take on and a few that I won't take further). Since I have a few plants of 'Tokutsu' blooming now, I'll set seed on one just out of curiosity.

[Anglo]

Thank you, catwalker. I’ve learned some things from your posts that are very interesting to me. Information on the origin of those famous cultivars was an unexpected bonus. I had not been aware of that before. That batch of semi-alba seed from Brazil really turned out to be something special!

Jan, you’re absolutely right about the variation to be expected. Even among tipo cultivars that are not thought of as being color-variable there can be more or less saturation or intensity in different bloomings. I’ve seen it in Cattleyas, sometimes for an apparent cause and sometimes not.

[catwalker808]

Very true Jan. The cells in different flowers & different parts of the flowers do seem to have pigments that have the "potential" for being enhanced (darkened or brightened) by light and heat. If the pigments are absent especially in the petals & sepals, there should not be enhancement and no colors will appear. Aquinii coloration on petals are more like the petal coloration which they mimic and they are present regardless of climate conditions.

But have you noticed that even when colors are absent, whites appear brighter and more crystalline when conditions are cooler ... as though the "white" cells are enhanced to be appear even whiter.

[COCatts]

Really interesting background on this variety. I've noticed similar bloom differences but didn't realize it was temperature related until recently.