C. walkeriana (not) ‘Kenny’

[mormodes]

Harry, May I reprint this explanation in my society's newsletter? Diablo View Orchid Society in N California

K Barrett

[Mathias]

@Catwalker808: Wow, what a splendid post! Thank you very much for your explanation, it was very enlightening and interesting.

[wingplum]

Originally Posted by trdyl

catwalker808, Thank you for the explaination.

One of the best post. Thank you.

[tylerumn]

Hello,

I'm new to the orchid world (6 years) but I do have a science background in biochemistry and molecular biology and would like to add my two cents into this discussion. I've also attached figure 2 for the readers.

I agree with most of what catwalker808 wrote except that in figure 2 of the paper indicates that there are three clusters for walkeriana: alba, semi-alba, and tipo with coerulea. Also, the researchers used the sequence from Pendentive twice in the dendrogram which would skew the results slightly.

A criticism I have for the paper is that the sample size in this study is very small and the majority of the samples are represented by walkeriana (64%) which limits the scope of this study. However, the dendrogram does clearly shows that all the walkeriana varieties belong to a single nested clade that have arisen from a single ancestor which is separate from nobilior or loddigesii.

If I were to draw a conclusion from this paper (I can't read the conclusion because it's in Japanese), I would say that this study shows Pendentive is closely related to walkeriana alba and that the alba forms are closely related to other walkeriana varieties. It shows that Pendentive is not a nobilor or loddigesii. It DOES NOT establish whether walkeriana alba are "pure" walkeriana or not. More detailed experiments such as more complete DNA sequencing would be required.

[RobS]

Nice post (why didn't I read this before). Being a professional plan breeder myself (not orchids) I could start a long story on C. dolosa being missing from this study but in the end it's fairly simple.

C. ???? pendentive flowers from the top of the shoot which is something that is missing from the type description of C. walkerina which flowers from a seperative generative growth. True walkeriana's always follow this behaviour and no intermediate forms are know except hybrids.

Still good to know that simple morphology (the study of form that used to be the basis of taxonomy) can help answer some very complex questions.

Having a Kenny myself and due to the plant habit having some doubt on it being a Walkerina I'll be adding it to the plants for sale .