Orchid Names / Identifiers
 

I've just had a look in Orchid Board's Glossary and would just like clarification on the names that orchids are referred to as...

I note there are "Species" and "Genus" (is that all there is to orchid identification?)

Taking, as an example, the plant "Cattleya aurantiaca"... would Cattleya be the Genus, while aurantiaca be the Species? Or is it the other way around... Or is it neither? :scratchhead:

Yup...Cattleya, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum just to name few would be the Genus.

If the plant is a species, such as aurantiaca, it should be written with a non-capitalized first letter (though some folks make the mistake of not doing that)

If the plant has a "regular" name next to it, C Penny Kuroda, then that name is the "clonal" name and it is considered a hybrid.

A hybrid made with two species parents is a primary hybrid.

It can be a little confusing but after a while it becomes easier to figure out.

This article helped me to understand it better:
http://www.orchidboard.com/Orchid-naming

Actually, that's not correct, Susanne.

In the case of Cattleya Penny Kuroda, Cattleya is the genus, Penny Kuroda is the hybrid name or grex, and if it was a specifically-named plant of Penny Kuroda, say Cattleya Penny Kuroda 'Orchidboard', the epithet in the single quotes is the so-called "clonal name", although it's really called the cultivar (cultivated variety, to discern it from a natural variety).

Check this out: Orchid Naming

:oops_sign Thanks for the correction, Ray :)

I always seem to block out that "Grex" thing...don't know why :scratchhead:

That 'Orchid-Naming' article was useful and your reply was equally helpful...thanks 'cb'.

...your link was also useful, Ray...thank you, too.

One thing I read about is Cloning...

In the article (http://www.orchidboard.com/Orchid-naming), beneath the section about grex, it says:

"They can divide the plant (this is slow and makes for expensive purchases) or they can clone it."

Dividing is a form of propagation, right? So, is Cloning different from propagation? How is it done?

CLoning is done by removing the apical meristem (clump of (essentially) stem cells) from the new lead and floating it in a constantly agitated nutrient solution, then divinding the clump of cells, agitating, dividing, etc until you have the number of clumps of cells you want. Each clump of cells is basically then treated like a newly germinated seed and flasked out. THe benefit is that you can have hundreds or thousands of exact compies of the mother plant. THis makes for cheaper plants of higher quality. THe down side is that you can sometimes get mutation. Especially on clones fo clones or when you make a rediculous number of clones.

-Cj

So, cloning involves the division method of propagation?

Also, what does apical mean?

Graham, division is propagation by unpotting, and cutting the mother plant up into individual chunks and then repotting those chunks as individual plants. Cloning is a much more complicated process on the cellular level. Here is what the glossary says about meristems.

Undifferentiated tissue, usually from a growing point, which is capable of developing into specialized tissue, used in mass propagation of orchids.