Cattleya lueddemanniana ‘helle’ and a mystery

[LadySlipper]

Beautiful flowers.

 

[geoffsharris]

I thought 'x hardyana' was used for a natural hybrid and 'Hardyana' for a man made hybrid (same parents)????

Thanks. I've never really thought too much about this as I grow mostly species, but I believe you are correct. It's funny as one of the few hybrids I have is Hardyana and not x hardyana.

x hardyana would be for plants found in the wild and Hardyana would be used for the cross made in captivity. x hardyana would only be for wascewiczii x dowiana vs Hardyana could be either this cross or a selfing/sib of either the man made cross Hardyana or wild x hardyana.

 

[terryros]

Then, there is Cattleya Semontiana which was registered a long time ago as warscewiczii x aurea and aurea is now only a var. of dowiana. When a semialba warscewiczii is used with dowiana var. aurea, the result is really indistinguishable from Hardyana.

 

[monocotman]

Thanks everyone. This plant almost certainly needs to be renamed Hardyana with a capital H.

 

[monocotman]

The second growth on this pale lueddemanniana has flowered. Slightly darker blooms as although it’s unusually warm in the UK, we don’t quite have the high thirties temperatures that we had when the first growth flowered.
It’s a real joy and one of my top plants. Along with being an easy grower, it has great form, colour and a wonderful scent.

 

[abax]

...and a nice dorsal as well.

 

[Ozpaph]

love the pastel tones

 

[monocotman]

I’ve had a discussion on a facebook Cattleya group and it looks like this plant maybe the natural hybrid x gravesiana, a cross of lueddemanniana and mossiae. It would explain the vigorous growth, plant size and flowering season. Whether it is originally a wild collected plant or a man made hybrid nobody knows.

 

[NEslipper]

Love the pastel colors, congratulations!

 

[DrLeslieEe]

I’ve had a discussion on a facebook Cattleya group and it looks like this plant maybe the natural hybrid x gravesiana, a cross of lueddemanniana and mossiae. It would explain the vigorous growth, plant size and flowering season. Whether it is originally a wild collected plant or a man made hybrid nobody knows.

What are the reasons I’m curious. Also is there a wing tip on column?

 

[monocotman]

Sorry for the delay replying Leslie, I was waiting for the flowers to go over as it’s the only way for me to get a good photo of the column.
Are these well developed horns?

 

[DrLeslieEe]

So I showed the pictures to some luddie experts in Venezuela and US and the consensus was that the horns were not large enough to determine it as true lueddie.

Here are the species key of the wings:



But of course, it’s still a beautiful plant irregardless of name!

 

[monocotman]

So an F1 hybrid with maybe mossiae is a distinct possibility!
Many thanks Leslie for your investigations.
A google for the hybrid x gravesiana shows up flowers which are very similar to this one.
Overall I agree that it’s a very striking flower. I love it.