# Phalaenopsis violacea var. mentawai plus...



## PHRAG (Oct 29, 2006)

This is violacea var. mentawai. The spike is upright on this plant, like a normal Phalaenopsis spike.







I also took a pic next to my still-in-bloom Equalacea just for the heck of it.


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## Heather (Oct 29, 2006)

Yummy! 

John, what's the background? Is that just your greenhouse wall? Looks kinda neat as a backdrop.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 29, 2006)

Cool. Where do the spots come from on the Equalacea? Neither parent has spots like that from what I've seen.


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## Heather (Oct 29, 2006)

Dot, I think they come from the violacea, you know how sometimes the coloring is more stripey than solid? 
This one kinda shows what I am talking about. I think that's where the spotting originates. Please, someone correct me if I am wrong! 

http://hem.spray.se/saxifraga/images/Phalaenopsis violacea 2.jpg


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## Marco (Oct 29, 2006)

nice violacea John. Is the upright spike just on this particular variation?


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## PHRAG (Oct 29, 2006)

Heather,

Yeah, that is the plastic wall of my greenhouse in the back. I was too tired to photograph it in front of black.

Dot,

I don't know nearly enough about hybridizing to say for certain, but I have a sensible guess. The violacea flower above has small stripes and dots that make up the color. It looks solid pinkish purple from a distance, but it is not. And I have seen equestris that look the same way up close. Also interesting to note, is that equestris crossed with mariae or one of the other phal species with red splotches, produces offspring with spots. So I think the spotting might come from equestris. You can see pics of alot of the primary hybrids for both violacea and equestris here...

http://www.phals.net/violacea/index.html

http://www.phals.net/equestris/index.html

Marco,

Take a look at the first link above. There is a photo there of Mentawai with spikes about two feet tall I would guess. My plant is a first bloomer, and the spike is about ten inches tall. I think for sure this is a trait specific to this variation.


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## Marco (Oct 29, 2006)

Thanks for the link John


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## SlipperFan (Oct 29, 2006)

Interesting links, Heather and John. But what I find unusual is the very delineated spots on the cross. Strong spotting like that seems like it should be more obvious in at least one of the parents.

I think there is something else in the background. A google search of Phal. Equalacea shows flowers more like I would expect, and not strong spots like the one here.

Sorry.

That said, I really like the flower. And I could be wrong.


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## PHRAG (Oct 29, 2006)

Dot,

I don't understand it either. But take a look at these links and tell me if you are seeing the same spots I am after the plants were crossed with equestris...

http://www.phals.net/cochlearis/AnthonyThe.html *
http://www.phals.net/fasciata/ApricotGlow.html
http://www.phals.net/gigantea/BerniceMaskin.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/Borobudur.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/ChristineMagro.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/EllenHanoppo.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/Equicorning.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/FloresRose.html *
http://www.phals.net/equestris/HiroshimaEqumo.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/JeanFrancois.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/LindaGrainger.html
http://www.phals.net/maculata/LittleSister.html
http://www.phals.net/mariae/RoseMarie.html
http://www.phals.net/equestris/TaidaSunshine.html *

I put an asterisk by the crosses I never, ever would have believed would have produced spots. I think the most clear evidence that this is a trait of equestris is the cross with tetraspis. A pure white flower suddenly shows up with spots after being crossed with equestris. I may be wrong, but until someone proves it, I am going to stick with my theory.


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## bwester (Oct 29, 2006)

Very nice! I love the color.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 30, 2006)

You've done your research, John! Most of those pictured have parents that have a strong pattern of some type, which makes the resulting spots believable. The other 3 (Anthony, Borobudur, & Flores Rose) have soft spotting while yours is very distinct. I just don't know. Do we have any Phal breeders here who can answer?


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## rbedard (Oct 30, 2006)

Progeny of Phal equestris are more likely to stripe than to spot, but you will see some spots too, given the right other parent. It also depends on what type of equestris you use; P. equestris rosea tends to give smoother even color or fine spotting, the other types tend to give more stiping. Also, P. violacea (as opposed to P. bellina, which was called violacea borneo form during much of the early hybridizing with it), can impart fine spotting in the right combinations, very similar to what is on the Equilacea above. 

You can see very similar patterning on this violacea hybrid:





I think if you want to stipulate that the Equilacea flower is correctly labeled, then the spotting came from both parents in varying degrees.

The spotting is much more distinct than I would expect, but that doesn't mean it would rule out the parentage. The size is much larger than I would expect, but that also doesn't necessarily rule out the parentage. If anything would, the size would trouble me more than the coloration, when it comes to confidence in the labeling.

Nice patterning, by the way. Attractive.


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## rbedard (Oct 30, 2006)

Here is a spotted equestris primary:





The spotting is different than on the Equilacea above, and I think most of the spotting came from the equestris. P. venosa has smoother pigment and so do most of its hybrids when crossed to other smooth colored parents, like pinks and whites.

This hybrid was made equestris aurea, which has white floral segments, except the lip. You can see the spotting in the center of the flower, where venosa is devoid of pigment.


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