Most Spectacular find in 100 years. - Orchid Board

Tindomul · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2005, 11:57 PM

Well probably 103 years now. Apparently back in 2002 they found a really pretty orchid in Peru. Its color is magneta with a bloom about a foot and a half across!!! With a stem about a foot high. Sure would like to see this beauty. Its a Phragmipedium orchid, "Orchid specialists say the newcomer is a multimillion-dollar commodity whose outsize blossoms and entirely new palette will enable breeders to produce a novel array of flashier Phragmipediums. "
I got that from this site: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...3/MN188337.DTL

Ok, so the story gets more interesting. Apparently the scientists who found it found out that another scientist came across it at the same time (amazing how scientific discoveries are made by two groups or two people independently). So the scientists raced to draw it, describe it, and publish their finding in eight days to get the honor of naming it. And they won, and named it Phragmipedium kovachii.

This Orchid might be another one of Darwin's orchids in the works. The scientists dont know how it gets pollinated and "John Beckner, curator of the Orchid Identification Center at Selby Gardens" said. ""But I'd guess it's going to be one of these huge butterflies or moths in that part of the world. It would be fascinating to find a clump of these in Peru and sit for a week or two and see what came to them.""

Here is a link to a pretty site: http://www.orchids.org/species/gener...dium/kovachii/

Hope you all enjoyed this bit, even if it is old news.

ScottMcC · #2 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 04:34 PM

And for those of you with cash burning a hole in your pocket, as well as some patience, it can be yours!

http://www.orchidweb.com/cat_dtl.asp...number=1&tpn=1

Heather · #3 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 04:44 PM

Or, come to the New Hampshire Orchid Society meeting on Saturday and purchase hybrid seedlings.

Should be fun to watch the frenzy! (I hope to take photos of the seedlings...)

littlefrog · #4 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 05:15 PM

Bought two flasks from Glen already, plus four hybrid seedlings. Bring deep pockets, they aren't cheap. But, they are nice seedlings...

Phantasm · #5 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 06:08 PM

Most spectacular in 100 years?
I haven't seen this one in person, but the pictures are great!
There are a lot of orchids that might compete, however.
The re-discovery of paph sanderianum, paph armeniacum and the chinese paphs, phrag bessae, many spectacular pleurothallids (draculas, masdevallias, etc), laelias, etc.
It's easy to be influenced by the flavor of the day....

Tindomul · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 10:06 PM

Yea, I like the P. armeniacum better. But back when I posted, I had never heard of P. armeniacum.

Tikva · #7 (**permalink**) 06-07-2006, 12:07 PM

Paphgirl!
I was planning on going - I've been interested in Glen Decker because Decker was my family name before I was married. I have never been to a meeting and I'm pretty excited! How much do you think a seedling will cost? Will they grow that large? Are they hard to care for? Wow, I'm so excited now lol.
I didn't have anyone to chat with about my excitement over my first society meeting

Heather · #8 (**permalink**) 06-11-2006, 09:22 PM

Tikva, Did you go? Did I meet you? I think I met you!! And we talked....
You had the little girl with you...no? yes? Was that you?

Marty - I have some photos posted you-know-where - can I post a link?

Marty · #9 (**permalink**) 06-11-2006, 09:40 PM

Where's that ? SlipperTalk.com ?

Of course ! Post away

Tikva · #10 (**permalink**) 06-11-2006, 10:15 PM

Paphgirl, do YOU have my itty bitty slipper orchid?!?! LOL
I had no clue it was you. Was that one you? AND my orchid is going to cost me a pretty penny, isn't it....