Is this a Paph. Berenice?

[The Mutant]

Paph. Mercatelil `Olive Stone`

Came across this Paph. when browsing orchid vendors. I've never heard of a Paph. Mercatelil before, but it looks somewhat like a Berenice.

What do you think?

 

[Silvan]

The closest I found would be a Paph. Memoria Mercatellii (stonei x lowii).
Personally I found stonei crosses a bit difficult and slow growers and I'd
prefer a real Berenice. Isn't that cross available everywhere?

 

[PaphMadMan]

Paph Mercatelii = stonei x lowii (original registration)
Paph Memoria Mercatelii was at some point applied often enough that RHS recognizes it as a synonym.

Mercatelii and Berenice could look much alike, of course, but I would assume Berenice is more generally available and probably easier to grow.

 

[Ozpaph]

and Bernice would be a 'better' flower - larger and more colourful, I think.

 

[The Mutant]

Thanks for the answers guys. I was just curious since I thought it looked a lot like a Berenice, but not quite like one, and the fact that I didn't recognize the name at all (I searched for it but came up empty handed).

Do I want a Paph. Berenice? Oh, yes! Do I want a Paph Mercatelii? When there are Paph. Berenices out there? Nope.

It was just that this vendor has a mysterious miniature Phal that looks absolutely gorgeous (and which I can't find anywhere else either), that I even looked twice at the Paph. Here's the mysterious Phal in question Dtps. Little Purple Bird. Never seen a Phal like this before. It's so very cute. :smitten:

 

[PaphMadMan]

Little Purple Bird is not a registered hybrid, so you probably won't ever find it anywhere else. It could be a cultivar name, or it could just be a trade name applied to a cultivar, or a registered or unregistered hybrid. Something we will see more of with the trend toward sale of anonymous orchids, though this is much worse than the simple NoID type. Personally, I don't understand why anyone buys them.

 

[Secundino]

I think Elsner might have Paph. Berenice.

 

[troy]

That is a mercatelli look at the dorsel

 

[troy]

Here are some pics of my berenice from last year, compare the two pics

 

[polyantha]

There definitely is stonei in the cross. Could be a Stoned Berenice. But I have seen better SB's with bigger dorsals in the past.

 

[The Mutant]

Little Purple Bird is not a registered hybrid, so you probably won't ever find it anywhere else. It could be a cultivar name, or it could just be a trade name applied to a cultivar, or a registered or unregistered hybrid. Something we will see more of with the trend toward sale of anonymous orchids, though this is much worse than the simple NoID type. Personally, I don't understand why anyone buys them.

I know. I asked on a Phal forum if anyone recognized the cross and under what name it might be registered. No luck so far.

Anonymous or not, I think people buy them because they find them attractive, and most people that buy Phals, don't really care about correct ID. I'm surprised that an orchid vendor sells these kinds of Phals without mentioning it, though (there are others who do, but they usually never bother to write a name at all). I guess I'll have to contact the vendor and ask if I really want to know.

I think Elsner might have Paph. Berenice.

Elsner does. As does Schwerter. It's too cold to order anything now though (and I really shouldn't considering I'm still too exhausted/tired/depressed to care properly for the orchids I have).

That is a mercatelli look at the dorsel

The dorsal was one of the things that made we wonder about what could be in it. Berenice's much prettier, in my opinion (yours is no exception).

 

[troy]

Don't be so hard on yourself, you've gotta be cheerfull about having yur intellegance, place in life to be able to grow orchids is a luxury in itself imagine if you were only functioning on half a brain or didn't have yur eyesight or forced into sex slavery, life isn't soo bad, look at the bright side, yur mercatelli is nice I like the dorsel, the wide petal stance, and the color, I would be happy with it

 

[troy]

One piece of advice do not grow paphs in more than 5 percent sphagnum moss

 

[The Mutant]

Don't be so hard on yourself, you've gotta be cheerfull about having yur intellegance, place in life to be able to grow orchids is a luxury in itself imagine if you were only functioning on half a brain or didn't have yur eyesight or forced into sex slavery, life isn't soo bad, look at the bright side, yur mercatelli is nice I like the dorsel, the wide petal stance, and the color, I would be happy with it

Oh, it's not mine. It's just a Paph I found on a vendor's website and I got curious about what it could be. Thought I should ask the experts, and I got an answer really fast.

Haha! You have the same wonderful and positive view of life as my friend does. She always makes me laugh. :rollhappy:

So, I'll get a Paph. Berenice some time in the future and not a mercatelli.

 

[troy]

Mercatelli's are great!!! They grow a little bigger and a little brighter than berenice, and displays a good showy multifloral blooms, they are all personal prefrance

 

[Secundino]

Ah, sorry, indeed, you live in the north... I should have known. (I mean, I know, but I didn't think when writing... too much at the same time, I guess.)
Keep fingers crossed for you and your plants!

 

[The Mutant]

Mercatelli's are great!!! They grow a little bigger and a little brighter than berenice, and displays a good showy multifloral blooms, they are all personal prefrance

You're absolutely right; it's all about our preferences.

Ah, sorry, indeed, you live in the north... I should have known. (I mean, I know, but I didn't think when writing... too much at the same time, I guess.)
Keep fingers crossed for you and your plants!

That's okay, you can't keep track of everything.
I think both Elsner and Schwerter have Paph. Berenice as part of their regular stock (or maybe they never manage to sell any and it's the same Paph that's for sale all the time), so I'm in no hurry. And thanks.

 

[Secundino]

I bought a plant from Elsner last year. It is a realy big and very nicely grown plant, I hope for flowers this summer!

 

[The Mutant]

I bought a plant from Elsner last year. It is a realy big and very nicely grown plant, I hope for flowers this summer!

I've been browsing her website a lot the last couple of days, and I like that her Berenice are NBS compared to Schwerter's, which are 1-1½ year away from BS. She usually has really nice quality plants.

 

[Secundino]

I make a shot tomorrow, with light, so you can see how big the plant is now. Excellent quality in growth - I expect good flowers.