Back story:
Way back when, I bought what was supposed to be a Den. gratiosissimum from a very well known west coast orchid species dealer.
It was not my first purchase from them.
My experience with them had been excellent.
And, I still think highly of them.
When my D. gratiosissimum finally bloomed, something wasn't right about it.
It looked much nicer and had a much better fragrance than I had expected.
I called the supplier and expressed my concerns about the ID on the plant.
He actually got his nose out of joint and became a bit testy about my questioning their ID of it.
After much running around the i-net, I became more certain that it wasn't as billed.
So, I bought another D. gratiosissimum from another species dealer located on the East coast.
Sure enough, the two looked to be too different from each other to be the same species.
I could not figure out what the species of my mystery orchid was.
So, I finally found a place, some orchid organization [I think] on the East Coast [ Virginia, I think] that would make a physical taxonomic ID from a submitted flower.
I sent a blossom in an alcohol/glycerin solution along with photos of the flower.
I also included photos of my other D. gratiosissimum for comparison.
Their results ID'd the mystery Dendrobium as a D. crystallinum.
The photos of the D. gratiosissimum were enough to confirm the second Dendrobium as a gratosisimum.
The D. crystallinum species name comes from the "crystalline papillae on the column covering the anther cap."
Now, let me say that I was not unhappy with it.
That D. crystallinum became my favorite of all my Dendrobium section Dendrobiums.
When it was in bloom, it would fill the house with it's
very strong honey fragrance.
I loved it!
I divested myself of all my orchids a few years before moving from Alaska to Hawai'i.
I have wanted another D. crystallinum badly since arriving here.
Now, jump forward to the present:
Last August at the Hilo Orchid Show, I found a local dealer that carries more species orchids than most in the area.
He had an obvious Dendrobium section large pendant Dendrobium labled as D. crystallinum.
I jumped for it and bought it immediately.
It has just bloomed for the first time for me.
It is
NOT a D. crystallinum.
It is hard to see, but it does not have the "crystalline papillae on the column covering the anther cap".
Its surface is smooth.
Plus, the fragrance isn't right.
It has what I call "that sweet rancid" fragrance familiar from another Dendrobium species.
I cannot remember which one[s?].
I need to get another positive ID made, on this one this time.
I cannot remember or find who I sent off to for my previous ID to be made.
can anyone point me to them, or anyone else that can do the job reliably?
In the mean time, I am open to guesses as to what it might be.
If needed, I can dissect a flower and post photos.
I have been able to get a positive ID made that way on another mystery orchid by Joseph Arditti.
If it turns out to be a D. gratiosissimum, I'll probably go hang myself.