Mystery Orchids, Part Deux - Fumei Furan

[K-Sci]

Hi,
Anyone here like puzzles?

I acquired this plant as Fumei Furan (unnamed Wind Orchid). The green axis, stripe pattern, and stripe color narrows the choices to a very few varieties. While it isn't possible to be certain, I think the other characteristics narrow the choices to two. I'd like to see if others draw the same conclusion, but without my opinion biasing opinions.

Here are the properties that can be used to pare down the possibilities.

• Curved, slightly narrow, slightly upright leaves (princess leaves).
• Green axis with no anthocyanins whatsoever.
• Marginal stripes mixed with spread stripes.
• Stripe color: slightly yellow cream or very light creamy yellow. Green color is typical.
• Medium size. Leaf span is 7-1/2 inches.
• Crescent tsuke.
• White flowers.
• Since this growth is an offshoot from a multi-growth all green plant, the variety probably tends to become green rich.

[Hakumin]

It won't be possible to determine any identity for this plant without looking at the plant in person. It does remind me of a bunch of seed grown Orihime that I had seen before, and there aren't that many aojiku/aone shima varieties around, but without in person side by side comparisons it's not possible to make a proper guess.

That said, there is something to consider though. While fumei 不明 literally means uncertain, unclear or unidentified, which, going by the definition, would imply more a NoID or a lost tag situation, the term also gets used a lot for plants of varieties that have never been named to begin with.

Breeders don't always name each and every newly discovered plant before they sell them and it's rather common for plants to be sold without a name, or be sold before they're given a name.

Strictly speaking though, the term mumei 無名 (lit. unnamed, nameless) is better for a variety that was never given a name, and you will often find unnamed varieties labeled as Mumei-Fūran 無名風蘭, or Mumei-Mameba 無名豆葉, or something similar.

To know whether or not your plant ever even had a name to begin with, it might be good to ask your source some history about the plant and where they originally got it, and what circumstances it ended up being labeled fumei.

[K-Sci]

All good advice, Hakumin. In this case, I'm using the name given by the seller and she is notoriously bad about responding to email.

HOWEVER we arrived at the place. I doubt you spent the time I did to get there. This plant has a lot in common with Orihime, though I don't think there is enough data for a conclusion.

For my investigation, I started with a list of registered varieties and their characteristics and began the process of elimination. The green stem on a striped variety leaves only 5 registered candidates to examine further.

Fouki no hikari

This variety is too large, leaves are are too wide, variegation is yellower, and leaf spacing is too large.

Kiboden

Kiboden has akebono-fu variegation and Fumei Furan doesn't. Side by side they look very different.

Taiyouden -

This plant has notably light green leaves. Fumei Furan is on the dark green side of normal green even though I've been growing it in near full (winter) sun. Side by side these two also look very different.

Youkihime

leaves are way too wide, this plant is also noted to be light green. Yōkihime does have unstable variegation. This is another case where side by side comparison the plants are very different.

Orihim, Orihim Fukurin

Matching characteristics: plant size, leaf width, standing leaves, variegation color, mixed fukuran/shima, dark green center stripe, green tsuke, stem, stripe pattern, unstable variegation. Non-matching: older leaves of Orihime tend to get noticeably yellower. It is too early to tell, but this is the best registered candidate, and so far looks like a good one.

Conclusion: There are, of course, unregistered varieties and the yellowing of old leaves is not confirmed. The intersection of the traits assessed is pretty rare making Orihime probability a distinct possibility.

That said, it is possible that this plant will be reluctant to produce more variegated fans. If it does replicate, Orihime /Orihime fukuran will be even more likely. With more fans it will also be easier to see if the pattern settles out to shima vs fukuran. The plant in question has both.