Virus or mutation?
 

I got this little phal at lowes because it was just so damn strange looking. I'm keeping it in quarantine for the time being but i was wondering if the odd petals are from a virus or a mutation. If it's a virus i'll just keep it at work. if not it goes in the greenhouse.

Looks O.K. to me...If you want to keep it, and are concerned, send a piece of the plant to a virus testing company. That way you'll know for sure, plus your other orchids will be safe...BettyE.

P.S. Just for anyone who needs a virus test done, the web site is: info@crittercreeklab.com...phone:916-645-7111
Haven't used it myself; but it is good info to have stored...BettyE.

Thanks for the quick reply. I figured it was a mutation because it seemed to be too uniform for a virus. It looks like the petals were turning into a lip. It's also fragrant too. smells like a phalaenopsis schilleriana.

I agree, it's symmetrical so that's not the kind of thing you would see with a virus. I think you're safe to assume it's a mutation.

It could be an odd parantage issue. The lip looks a lot like encyclia cordigera and not like a phal.

I'm guessing it's a peloric. Unless you see color streaks and striations on the leaves I think your ok.


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Definitely a peloric (where petals take on some of the characteristics of the lip).

This is considered a desirable variation by some.

It is very difficult to tell by just visual inspection, although many virus symptoms are quite obvious.

It could be just "safe" mutation without virus being involved, or it could be mutation triggered by virus.

Agree that it is a form of peloria. Most likely it was bred for that form.

I agree, it just looks peloric -a genetic mutation that is not uncommon and often considered desirable.

Semi-peloric for sure. Many folks, includung me, find them very desirable. One thing to keep in mind, it may or may not bloom this way every time.

Kim

Not peloric, but bits of the label form "infuse" into petals. Some heavy mix disaster into genetics…

Peloric means a change for symetry, for orchids it's from bilateral to radial. Here, it's still clearly bilateral, so not peloric.

On a flower, one sign of virus would be a color break, linked usually to ORSV or TMV, TMV-O at least.

ZWUM, Fairorchids, quiltergal and Silken are exactly correct. It's a peloric Phal, meaning the petals imitate the lip (a benign mutation). Strictly, any increase in flower symmetry is considered peloria, but petals imitating the lip seems the most common in Phals.

Yes, peloric means that a bilaterally symmetrical flower changes to take on more radial symmetry. The case where the petals partly or fully imitate the lip is just one type of peloric flower. This is that type of peloric flower. Phals are often deliberately bred to be peloric because they have forms and patterns that would otherwise not be available and some people find them desirable.

When a peloric flower arises as a spontaneous inheritable genetic change it is a mutation, but every trait of every living thing originally arose as a mutation, When it is a trait that is deliberately selected and bred it really isn't meaningful to continue to describe it as a mutation. And this Phal was probably deliberately bred to be this way.

Peloric flowers can also happen due to disease or environmental problems, but that probably is not the case here. I see no evidence that virus is the cause, but it is true that a high percentage of mass market Phals are virused. Anyone who buys one does so taking that risk.

Because of the prevelance of virus in many orchids now, getting it tested may be a wise precaution but this doesn't appear to be caused by virus. Peloric for sure. I would have this propagated. Have someone pollinate this and see if this trait carries on to the next generation. Lots of odd orchids in small collections held by amateurs are being bred for traits we deem desirable. Peloric orchids are the rage in japan. Always have been.

I guess i"m glad i went with my gut when buying this one :)
Personally I love the look of this orchid. I'm not usually a fan of hybrids but this one was too cool to pass up.

People, this is not peloric!

Please read O peloric afficionados:

Floral symmetries
Floral symmetry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks NYorchidman, we needed the end of game whistle. ;)

Seconds to go before the end of regulation - yellow card! :biggrin:

here is another view: Of Peloric Orchid Flowers and Form Names | Selby Gardens

Despite the absolute terms of the Wikipedia definition, a zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical) flower (like an orchid) does not have to become completely actinomorphic (radially symmetrical) to be considered peloric. Any change that increases the appearance of radial symmetry of the flower is considered peloria, even a partial change as we see here, with the petals partly modified to an appearance more like the lip. Even the Sinningia used as an example of a peloric flower in the Wikipedia article is not completely radially symmetrical since there is still a single plane of symmetry through the flower because of the anatomy of the ovary, and the flower is still fundamentally zygomorphic.