CSA-Journal-2016-04
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produced seven fragrant white flowers, the<br />
smaller spike having only three flowers. We<br />
were pleased to have Mr. and Mrs. Holguin<br />
visit us to see the flowers, for I do not think<br />
the plant had flowered for some years. The<br />
accompanying photograph gives an idea of<br />
the unusual flowers, quite different from<br />
any other Cymbidium species we had ever<br />
seen. The white medium-sized flower had a<br />
rather long lip, heavily banded and marked<br />
with reddish brown. It agreed reasonably<br />
well with the original drawings and with<br />
the Royal Horticultural Society painting<br />
by Nellie Roberts, Certificate #894, which<br />
certificate states that the plant was "identified<br />
and named by Kew." In our collection<br />
we have a colored photograph of the award<br />
painting.<br />
It was decided to self two flowers and<br />
to remove the smaller raceme before its<br />
flowers were fully opened. Before pollinating<br />
the flowers, photographs were taken in<br />
color and in black and white on March 27,<br />
1963. Of the expected capsules, one was to<br />
be embryo-cultured before ripening, in case<br />
this procedure might give better germination.<br />
The other capsule was to remain until<br />
ripe. On removing the pollen from the<br />
flowers of the larger raceme, it was found<br />
to be gray and apparently moldy. However,<br />
the pollen from the partially opened flowers<br />
of the smaller raceme which had been<br />
removed appeared good, and this was used<br />
on two flowers of the larger raceme on<br />
March 27, 1963.<br />
On September 2, 1963, before leaving<br />
for the Fourth World Orchid Conference<br />
at Singapore, the contents of one of<br />
the capsules were sown, five months after<br />
pollination. There was no germination in<br />
this planting. On January 12, 1964, the few<br />
seeds from the second capsule were sown<br />
to six bottles. After some months, two to<br />
six protocorms in each bottle became green<br />
but were tantalizingly slow. By late November,<br />
1964, they had not developed leaves.<br />
A few protocorms are being grown by meristem<br />
tissue culture to produce a multiplication<br />
of each clone, if possible. Later, apical<br />
meristem culture of a backbulb growth will<br />
be attempted in the hopes of propagating<br />
the original clone.<br />
The experience of poor germination<br />
is not unusual for selfed species, which are<br />
believed sometimes to have an inhibitor to<br />
prevent self-fertilization. The fact of poor<br />
germination may be slender evidence that<br />
parishii 'Sanderae' is a true species and not<br />
a natural hybrid, as is sometimes conjectured.<br />
Much may be learned if and when<br />
the selfed seedlings flower.<br />
The plant now has two leaved bulbs<br />
and one dormant bulb. There are three racemes,<br />
one on either side of the lead bulb<br />
and one on the middle bulb. There is no<br />
sign of a new growth, and to induce one,<br />
it is probable that on flowering all racemes<br />
will be removed.<br />
Cymbidium parishii, both the original<br />
type and the 'Sanderae' variety, appear to<br />
require more heat than some of the north<br />
Indian species of Cymbidiums. The greatest<br />
disadvantage and, no doubt, that which accounts<br />
for parishii's rarity, is the slow growth<br />
and poor production of new growths. In<br />
our experience, this may have been due<br />
to the profusion of flower racemes and to<br />
seed capsules which were probably a drain<br />
on the plant. There usually have been only<br />
two bulbs with leaves, for the leaves on<br />
the oldest bulb persist only until the new<br />
growth is fairly well developed as a new<br />
bulb. With few or no new growths a season,<br />
the plant remains small, although the bulbs<br />
and leaves are well developed.<br />
The history of the acquisition of Cym.<br />
parishii 'Sanderae' by Armacost & Royston<br />
is not known to us except that it was in the<br />
collection in 1952 and probably sometime<br />
before. It is said to have come from the late<br />
D. A. Cowan of Surbiton, England. However,<br />
we were intrigued by the label on the<br />
Armacost & Royston plant, for in addition<br />
to the name parishii 'Sanderae', there was<br />
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