# ST colaboration: gratixianum



## Marc (Jan 16, 2012)

In the beginning of this year Mathis suprised me with the pictures of his gratixianum ( Purple Mountain x Billy's Dark One ) 

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23908&highlight=gratix







When searching for Purple Mountain I got directed to this site:

http://www.justmystage.com/home/mandt/page58.html

On this site Purple Mountain can be found with the name M&T Orchids. Does anyone have any more info about them?

I couldn't find anything specific regarding Billy's Dark One. Help please? 

I was very impressed with the flower and I apreciated it a lot.

As my own gratixianum started opening last week a plan suddenly emerged in my mind and a PM was quickly written to Mathias. I requested if it was possible for him to send pollen, or to do a pollen swap. Within a day I received a PM that it was no problem. So a few PM's were exchanged and arrangements were made.

In the meantime my own gratixianum openend up some more. Because I wanted to polinate today I didn't take pictures with my DSLR so a compact shot needs to do. Shape isn't what it should be yet as these flowers only openend a few days ago.






While I was at work I received a message from my girlfriend that a letter had arrived from Sweden.






The pollen was very nicely packed in some bubble wrap which contained some folded fat free baking paper on which the pollen was smeared.






This was the first time that I worked with Paphiopedilum pollen and I was quite surprised by it's thick wax like structure. To me it resembles something that you would normally find in someone ear. :rollhappy: I only picked up the waxy stuff with the tip of a wooden toothpick.






The pollen themselves were smeared all over the bottom of the stigma. This is how the plants look now.


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## biothanasis (Jan 16, 2012)

Very nice flowers and all the good luck for the seedpods to develope and produce viable seeds...


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## nikv (Jan 16, 2012)

Wicked cool! I sure hope the cross takes. I'd love to buy some seedlings some day if you will have them available.


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## Gcroz (Jan 16, 2012)

Thank you for posting this. What a wonderful "photo essay" telling the story of this potential cross! Please update this thread with photos in the future so we can have the whole story to look at.


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## Rick (Jan 16, 2012)

Way to go guys!!!

This will be the second ST collaboration for this species. 4 different countries and some awesome parents.


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## NYEric (Jan 16, 2012)

Paph panderers!


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## JeanLux (Jan 17, 2012)

Good luck Marc!!!! Jean


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## Marc (Jan 17, 2012)

nikv said:


> Wicked cool! I sure hope the cross takes. I'd love to buy some seedlings some day if you will have them available.



Unfortunately due to CITES and other treaties shipping the plants from Europe to the US will be a problem. Even sending in flask will be a hurdle because of the involved paperwork. 



Gcroz said:


> Thank you for posting this. What a wonderful "photo essay" telling the story of this potential cross! Please update this thread with photos in the future so we can have the whole story to look at.



Your welcome and I sure will do, you can also look at my other project I have currently in this section. I'm trying to recreate two primary hybrids with Australian Dendro's.



Rick said:


> Way to go guys!!!
> 
> This will be the second ST collaboration for this species. 4 different countries and some awesome parents.



Was there a topic for the other gratixianum collaboration that took place here? If so can you link it please because I can't find it. ( Or I'm not looking hard enough  )


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## SlipperKing (Jan 17, 2012)

Nice clear pictures. Nice looking flower too!


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## Rick (Jan 17, 2012)

Probably at least 3 years ago I got pollen from Toddybear's gratrixianum to breed with mine.

We did not post cool pics of the breeding procedure though.


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## Dido (Jan 17, 2012)

Think of a flask for me marc. 
Would like to try the ofspring of your plant. 

Cross fingers for you


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## Marc (Jan 18, 2012)

Dido said:


> Think of a flask for me marc.
> Would like to try the ofspring of your plant.
> 
> Cross fingers for you



Well there are still a few hurdles to take before we get to that point. And I don't even know currently if, how and in what form the plants will be made available. 

Of course I'll keep everyone updated but a lot depends on succesfull polination and then in 7-9 months succesfull germination.


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## Marc (Jan 19, 2012)

Because of another discussion I just noticed that I'm constantly writing the name wrong and that I'm forgetting the "R" in Paph. gratrixianum


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## Marc (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm excited :clap: :clap: :clap:











I'm inclined to remove one of the two capsules so the plant can at least partially focus on growing again. One pod should produce enough viable offspring.

I expect them to be ready for sowing somewere september, 8 months should be enough for green pod sowing I think.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 20, 2012)

8 should be long enough. How big is the plant (growths) It maybe able to hold both.


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## W. Beetus (Feb 20, 2012)

Great to see the crosses took!


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## Marc (Feb 21, 2012)

SlipperKing said:


> 8 should be long enough. How big is the plant (growths) It maybe able to hold both.



If I counted it right it's a 7 growth plant. One or two previous bloomed growths. 2 growths that hold the pods then two that should be blooming next season and some smaller ones. The plant itself is pretty rootbound so I more or less need to repot this spring. Hope this doesn't cause any pods to abort.


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## Rick (Feb 21, 2012)

Sounds like a good stout plant. I think it will be just fine, and I've repotted plants without aborting pods.


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## chrismende (Feb 22, 2012)

Fun, fellows!


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## Marc (Oct 1, 2012)

These pods are still on the plant and still looking green. Going to see if I can get this in flasks in the coming weeks. Seeing that they have been on the plant for more then 8 months now.


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## SlipperKing (Oct 1, 2012)

Good deal! Keep us posted.


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## Marc (Nov 11, 2012)

Just a small update, eventhough the plant is carying two pods it has decided to put up another spike. :clap:


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Nov 11, 2012)

Oh my goodness is it ever loving life!


Sent from my BlackBerry 9300 using Tapatalk


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## The Orchid Boy (Nov 12, 2012)

What a beautiful, healthy plant, and nice flowers and pods! I'm wondering what a (gratrixianum x sanderianum) x sanderianum would look like, or just gratrixianum x sanderianum. Same with (delenatii x sanderianum) x sanderianum.


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## Marc (Jan 27, 2013)

This morning while watering my plants I noticed that the first seedpod had split. 






I cut of the second as well as it was already turning brown and I didn't want it to pop during next week while I was at work.

This afternoon I dropped it of to get it sown, so it's not in my hands anymore what happens with the capsules.

Let's cross our fingers and hope that they contain seeds and germinate.


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## Rick (Jan 27, 2013)

Very nice Marc.

I just sent some exul capsules on to Troy Meyers for flasking last month.

Pretty nice that everyone's plants are on a similar schedule in two different parts of the world.


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## Marc (Jan 27, 2013)

Thank you Rick, I'm planning on doing more breeding with Paphs and other Orchids as well. 
Currently have some plant to make some Dendrobium fleckeri hybrids, planning on recreating Golden Glory ( fleckeri x tetragonum var. giganteum ) and Dendrobium Hastings ( kingianum x fleckeri ).


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## biothanasis (Jan 31, 2013)

Good luck with the sowing....

(why not produce species too? Den fleckeri is lovely!)


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## Marc (Apr 23, 2013)

Six weeks after bringing the seeds to the person that was going to sow them for me I contacted him and he hadn't done anything with the seeds. Will contact him one of these days but I dont have a good feeling about this.....


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## Trithor (Apr 23, 2013)

That hurts! Has he given you an explanation for the delay? I was looking forward to the next positive update


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## SlipperKing (Apr 23, 2013)

What the hell? Is this person a professional? Does flask work as a business?


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## abax (Apr 24, 2013)

This is such an exciting process and I'm so looking forward to the eventual
outcome. I wish the pods could have been sent to Troy Meyers.


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