Psychopsis Pepillio Alba

[iburntrees3o5]

Picked this up last month. No idea why it's called an alba when it's clearly yellow. Any one know why?

[euplusia]

Nice flower, you lucky guy.
Alba (= Latin for white) in a botanical sense only means that the red/brown/violett tones by anthocyanins are absent. Yellow tones by flavonoids/carotinoids are allowed.
But some people use the term 'flava' or 'amarillo' instead. Even green flowers may be called alba when the normal red pigmentation is absent.
In the same way alba is used when only the yellow pigmentation on the lip in an otherwise white Cattleya is present.

[iburntrees3o5]

Originally Posted by euplusia

Nice flower, you lucky guy.
Alba (= Latin for white) in a botanical sense only means that the red/brown/violett tones by anthocyanins are absent. Yellow tones by flavonoids/carotinoids are allowed.
But some people use the term 'flava' or 'amarillo' instead. Even green flowers may be called alba when the normal red pigmentation is absent.
In the same way alba is used when only the yellow pigmentation on the lip in an otherwise white Cattleya is present.

Thanks for clearing that up for me! I knew that Alba meant white. And assumed it was strictly white. Was unaware it was so broad in the color spectrum.

[iburntrees3o5]

It's back. Lost a spike, but a new one is growing. Hopefully I'll have 3 spikes on this by the end of the year.

[WhiteRabbit]

Nice!

[iburntrees3o5]

Thanks!

[RosieC]

Beautiful!