# Paph. kolopakingii forma katherinae



## Candace (Jul 24, 2007)

O.K. can someone please explain why the plant featured in the newest Orchid Digest Magazine, is not simply named Paph. kolopakingii forma(or variety) alba, album etc? Why in the world is an alba variety named katherinae(after his daughter)? 

I think these names are why people are so confused with orchid nomenclature in general. IMHO if the owner wanted to recognize his daugther then he should have given it a clonal name of 'Katherine'.

Can't we just name an alba an alba and call it a day?


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## Marco (Jul 24, 2007)

some people like to be special


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## Kyle (Jul 24, 2007)

whose daughter?


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## Candace (Jul 24, 2007)

The article says the alba plant is William Ellenberg's and it's named for his daughter Katherine Mae. Paph. kolopakingii forma katherinae......

And I don't understand why it's not forma or var. alba. with a clonal name of 'Katherine'....


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## kentuckiense (Jul 24, 2007)

If the album form was first validly published as f. _katherinae_, then it is the correct name. Album/flavum/aureum/etc forms don't necessarily have to be named f. _album/flavum/aureum/etc_.


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## goldenrose (Jul 24, 2007)

Candace said:


> The article says the alba plant is William Ellenberg's and it's named for his daughter Katherine Mae. Paph. kolopakingii forma katherinae......
> 
> And I don't understand why it's not forma or var. alba. with a clonal name of 'Katherine'....



I agree - that would make sense to me!


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## Frederick (Jul 25, 2007)

*Indeed !*



goldenrose said:


> I agree - that would make sense to me!



Remember what Jean Cocteau wrote : "Those mysteries are beyond us, let's pretend we created them".
Happy growing
Frederick


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## goldenrose (Jul 25, 2007)

Good one Fredrick - it's all in our attitude & how we look at things!


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## slippertalker (Jul 25, 2007)

In reality this not an alba or album flower. A true alba is completely white, and this plant is albinistic (devoid of anthocyanins) which is expressed as white and green/yellow. 

There are many albinistic flowers that are named after people: P. Lawrenceanum hyeanum, P. Curtisii sanderae, and P. Venustum measuresianum (not venustum alba(um))

Many people carelessly use the term alba to describe albinistic flowers of many different color combinations, and it's botanically incorrect. Albino paphs
can be yellow, green, white and combinations of these colors. Pure albas are seen primarily in brachypetalums, and even those can have green or yellow on the staminode.


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## Candace (Jul 25, 2007)

Hmmm. Interesting.


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## ORG (Jul 27, 2007)

And here some more official names
Paph. fairrieanum forma bohlmannianum
Paph. armeniacum forma markii
Paph. micranthum forma glanzeanum
Paph. charlesworthii forma sandowiae
Paph. fowlie forma christianae
Paph. hennisianum forma christianseniaum
Paph. javanicum forma nymphenburgianum

and so on.
It is the right of the describer to give the name if you like it or not. But it is also usual that the owner of the type-plant proposed a name.

It should be also usual to use these official names.

Best greetings

OLaf


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## Frederick (Jul 28, 2007)

ORG said:


> And here some more official names
> Paph. javanicum forma nymphenburgianum
> OLaf



This one I love--how hilariously funny! Easy to remember--needs at least 3 tags to identify it--impresses the Joneses--probably looks like something the cat has just dragged in--worth piles of money--blooms once in a blue moon. THE perfect species for serious collectors (with the added bonus of a sexual innuendo for dirty old men : "Do you mean a whole _burg _full of nymphs? Where is it?".)
Happy naming
Frederick


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## ORG (Jul 28, 2007)

*Nymphenburg *is a part of Munic in Bavaria in Germany. Here is an outstanding Botanical Garden with a good orchidcollection. Here the albine form of _Paph. javanicum_ came the first time in flower and the Botanical Garden proposed the name.

Best greetings

Olaf


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## Frederick (Jul 28, 2007)

ORG said:


> *Nymphenburg *is a part of Munic in Bavaria in Germany. Here is an outstanding Botanical Garden with a good orchidcollection. Here the albine form of _Paph. javanicum_ came the first time in flower and the Botanical Garden proposed the name.
> 
> Best greetings
> 
> Olaf



Thanks Olaf--I knew. Nymphenburg is also the name of a world-famous porcelain manufactory dating back to the early 18th C and of course of a beautiful chateau. I was only joking. 
Yours
Frederick


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## Ernie (Jul 28, 2007)

Taxonomy is a thankless job!!! Give 'em a break! 

-Ernie


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## Rick (Jul 28, 2007)

I'm with Candace on this one.

I think the first whack at a name should be descriptive or at least give a collection locality

People get more than their fare share of coming up with new things in this world already.


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