# Need help with class assignment



## orchid527 (Apr 7, 2014)

I need advice as to which class should be used to enter this primary hybrid. This is Robinianum (parishii x lowii). Within the MAOC class definitions my choices are white, green/yellow, bronze/mahogany and pink/red. I see a little white, a lot of green, some greenish brown and muted purple. So do I go with green as the dominant color. This seems to be a recurring problem I have with these multifloral paphs. I appreciate any suggestions.

Mike


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## cnycharles (Apr 7, 2014)

Good question! Very subjective


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## kellyincville (Apr 7, 2014)

All of the above?


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## PaphMadMan (Apr 7, 2014)

It has been about 3022 years since I was a show chairman for a couple shows under MAOC rules, but I think...

Paph hybrids should go by the dominant color. I'd say green is the dominant color because it is the base color for most of the flower, even where there are purple tones too. The alternative choice for a two-toned flower is "Other". There is also a rule about entering in the first applicable class. Green/Yellow class comes before Other/Vinicolor class in the schedule for Paph primaries.

I was always told that the classes should be judged in order, and the judges could choose to move a plant to a later class if they wanted to, but can't move it to an earlier class already judged. So, if you call it Green and the judges want it in Other it might be safe. Ideally though, you could get an opinion at the time of registration from someone in the know.


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## SlipperFan (Apr 7, 2014)

When in doubt, put it in the first class you think it might belong. The judges have the option of dropping it into a lower class if they think it fits better, but they can't put it into a higher class (they've already judged).
Personally, I'd put that (based on the colors in the photo) into the bronze-mahogany class. That seems to be the dominant color.


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## littlefrog (Apr 7, 2014)

I would put it in bronze-mahogany. It is pretty subjective, you won't get abused too badly no matter where you put it. If it came to my team in bronze-mahogany I wouldn't move it, that is for sure.

Rob


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## NYEric (Apr 8, 2014)

Yep, primary hybrid/multi/bronze-mahogany/private non-commercial grower.


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## tomkalina (Apr 8, 2014)

Bronze-mahogany......


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## Ozpaph (Apr 10, 2014)

What a ridiculous judging system for primary hybrids, based on colour. Surely all primaries should be judged as a single class or, at worst, multifloral, sequential, brachy and parvi etc. Its like suggesting paph sub-genus groupings definitions should based solely on colour rather than morphology. The reason you have trouble deciding the colour group is because it lacks commonsense. Put it in the 'red' class, because that's what you're seeing......


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## NYEric (Apr 10, 2014)

Depends on the show size and number of entries.


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## SlipperFan (Apr 10, 2014)

Ozpaph said:


> What a ridiculous judging system for primary hybrids, based on colour. Surely all primaries should be judged as a single class or, at worst, multifloral, sequential, brachy and parvi etc. Its like suggesting paph sub-genus groupings definitions should based solely on colour rather than morphology. The reason you have trouble deciding the colour group is because it lacks commonsense. Put it in the 'red' class, because that's what you're seeing......



I totally agree with you. I don't know if this system is just with the Mid-America section or if it is standard for AOS. A couple years ago, there was some talk of changing it, but nothing came of it.


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## littlefrog (Apr 10, 2014)

I don't disagree entirely... Unfortunately if we classed based on parentage (brachy, parvi, etc), we'd run into exactly the same problems. What do you do with Paph. Vanda M. Pearman (bellatulum x delenatii)? Is it brachy or parvi? Or Delrosi? Multifloral or parvi?

Problem is no matter how we break it up, some things are going to be hard to place in classes. That is the nature of the beast. We get so many paph hybrids at shows it would be difficult to do all the primaries as one class. But for some genera (around here, Cymbidiums, for example) we have one or two classes for the entire group (species and hybrids). We just don't see cymbidiums in Michigan all that often.

On the plus side, I've never been on a team that refused to judge something that was entered in the 'wrong' color. We all know it is a subjective thing and the schedule is confusing.



Ozpaph said:


> What a ridiculous judging system for primary hybrids, based on colour. Surely all primaries should be judged as a single class or, at worst, multifloral, sequential, brachy and parvi etc. Its like suggesting paph sub-genus groupings definitions should based solely on colour rather than morphology. The reason you have trouble deciding the colour group is because it lacks commonsense. Put it in the 'red' class, because that's what you're seeing......


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## Tom-DE (Apr 12, 2014)

You see, if you try to do god's work, you will run into troubles right away.

There are only two classes: species and hybrid.:evil:


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## SlipperFan (Apr 12, 2014)

Tom-DE said:


> ...
> There are only two classes: species and hybrid.:evil:


And then there are the natural hybrids, which are treated as species. oke:


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