Vanda merrillii - first of three spikes

[orchideric]

Hey Swamper,

Didn't mean to leave you hanging - just got involved with other things. The easy answer is experience. Vanda merrillii - like other brown-flowered species (e.g. V. hindsii) - has the sepals and petals equal in size and lying in one plane. The Fairchild plant has slightly twisted, smaller petals which reflex and a conspicuously larger dorsal sepal - all features from V. tricolor. In addition, I have never seen a V. merrillii without a brown lip midlobe. Finally, V. merrillii has glossy flowers that look like they are lacquered. The Fairchild plant lacks this gloss.

Vanda merrillii was used in early breeding because it flowers at the equator without any seasonality. Thus there are a lot of old hybrids mislabelled as V. merrillii (often awarded by the AOS a species).

Hope that helps, Eric

[Swamper]

hey no problem, I just had to go back and re-read a bit.Thank you for all that great info and not just the quick "experience" answer.
I actually went to a place in homestead that said they carried it, although not blooming. I decided to check it out and it looked like something the cat brought in.
They also wanted like 40 bucks for it. I waited for the laughter from the lady but she kept a straight face. I too kept a straight face and then she said well it's a species. I said it sure is.
I didn't get it needless to say. I guess moral of the long story is Im over v.merrillii but I will keep an eye out for hybrids.
thanks again Eric.

[Don Perusse]

Very nice color, well spaced, and fragrant to boot. Just love those Vandas. Nice growing. Any keiki's? Hee, hee!