artherm,

You are great! Thank you for clarifying my confusion and frustration.

So, if I am allowed to recap:

1. 'Dendrobium phalaenopsis' is one of Dendrobium species. 'phalaenopsis' is a specie name not a genus name. Therefore you don't capitalize phalaenopsis. This specie has a flower that resembles that of genus 'Phalaenopsis'. But this is nothing to do with 'Palaenopsis' genetically. It is hard cane Dendrobium that grows in warm climate. Hybrids of this are called 'Denphal Type'.

2. There is another Dendrobium specie called 'Dendrobium antennatum' of which flower has horns like antelope. The hybrids of this is so called 'antelope type Dendrobium'.

3. If you cross between 'Denphal type' and 'antelope type' hybrids, you end up with 'intermediate type' hybrids. They have both characteristics of 1 and 2.

4. They are all hard cane Dendrobiums. Soft cane example is "nobile type'.

Is this right?

There are many species of Dendrobium involved what i wrote was just to try and clarify a little bit the division that you might find on an orchid catalogue.

Phal, intermediate and antelope types just refer roughly to the flower shape of the Den. Hybrid.

Dendrobium antennatum is just one example of an antelope species.

Species is both singular and plural. Specie has some sort of vague meaning relating to money.

anthurm,

Thank you again. Now I understand species(singular or plural) is always used. Specie is coins collectively.

I like Denphal type Dendrobiums. They stand out at the local orchid center I frequent. They have many colors of flowers including dark blue which I feel irresistible. They are relatively affordable and easy to grow, meaning a beginner's type.

Den. biggibum is the accepted species name for Den. phalaenopsis now. One of the many changes to drive us crazy.

Brooke

Brooke, i think the boffins at Kew have gone stark, staring mad!

Dark blue dendrobiums? Is that one of those dyed orchids? In nature blue flowers are extremely rare so I am wondering. Not saying there is anything wrong with them being dyed, just as long as they're not being deceptive about it.

summersunhine,

I am talking about "Dendrobbium sakda blue". I have this one and it is difficult to say either dark red purple or dark blue purple. It may not be dark blue but close.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dendrobium sakda blue

Brooke and arthurm,

Do you mean:

1. Den. phalaenopsis has never existed. It was Den. biggibum.

or

2. Den. phalaenopsis once existed but gone from the surface of the earth Australia due to greedy orchids hunters. The trace survived as Den. biggibum.

or

3. It is a sort of things that I should not try to find out because nobody knows what really happened in the early days of hybridization.

Please clarify. I can't sleep.

It means the powers that be, botanists, say the recognized name is now biggibum.

When orchids were being described for the first time, someone game them a name. Lo and behold, someone somewhere else gave it a different name. Botanists then studied them and decided they were the same. The name they decided on was the first original name.

This is usually the reason but there are a few others but it gives you the idea of the name changes.

Yes Arthur it drives me crazy as I accumulate name tags in the pots. Laelias to Cattleyas except we now have Laelias which used to be Schomburgias but some are now Mymermecophia and the Schoms have disappeared.

Brooke

Brooke,

Thank you. I think species name biggibum is much better than phalaenopsis to avoid confusion. I hope the designation 'Denphal type' should go away too. But I know it won't be in this age of random crossings to produce abundance of hybrids.

There are six different Genera with a species called phalaenopsis. Nothing wrong with the name at all, and least people can have a stab at pronouncing the name correctly.

Biggi Bum? No! Bi Gibbum!

It is all about order for orchid growers.

The hybrid register of orchid names must now contain something like a hundred thousand entries. It is not a thing of science. It is just a handy tool for us orchid growers to enjoy our hobby.

Most annoying when you have record the benching results for Laeliinae and Oncidiinae Hybrids and you find the names written on the benching cards are out of date.

Even more annoying is when the RHS changes a series of names and then changes them back again as happened with Dockrillia.

As far as random crossings go, maybe that doesn't apply much to orchids because of the long wait from pollination to first bloom.

arthurm,

I understand nothing is wrong with phalaenopsis as a species name. However, it is confusing when you say 'Dendrobium phalaenopsis' or 'any other Genera phalaenopsis'. It may cause misunderstanding between unsuspected orchid novices. I think botanical classification should definitely be scientific and systematic. But in the case of orchids, RHS can not keep up with it, I guess.

So, there is no patent given to the individual who developed a new cross. The individual is only commercially safe and make money for about 7 years until the other competitors do the same thing then. This is a good thing since, in the case of roses, I get a headache not being able to propagate a new variety freely and give away to friends though I do it. :)

And then there's the lag in updating online catalog listings by commercial orchid vendors. Same for brick and mortar retail orchid growers. Growing orchids increases one's tolerance for ambiguity. Either that, or you can't abide the uncertainties and take up spider plants.

whitecat8,

In a short time I became interested in orhids, I have established tremendous admiration and respects for those who are tolerating for ambiguity and abiding by the uncertainties. By reading the books like 'Orchid Fever' and 'Orchid Thief', I am convinced they are doing it just because of their passion for orchids not anything else.

I meet quite often someones who say the orchid at their window sill never blooms and they accept it as a foliage houseplant. I immediately call them my brothers and sisters. I accept my passion but I would like it to bloom at least once a year. The Vanda with a flower bud just blasted. I am not sure I am qualified as even a decent orchid hobby person. This crazy passion has to be dealt with. :)

Yes, but you are a real orchid grower, that applies to any orchid grower residing in the frozen north. Well, i assume you live in the frozen north because your my page details just say USA.

Anyway, i can assure you that if i did the touristy thing, went to Florida, and saw a ghost orchid on a tree, i would not even be tempted. Too hard to grow!

Getting back to the topic, what is the easy orchid in the frozen north, my assumption is that it is the Phalaenopsis. Here it is the Cymbidium.

arthurm,

But the ghost orchid is so eerie and fantastic. Susan, the author o Orchid Thief, was never able to see it because she was not an orchid grower at that time. It was a curse of orchids. She may be accumulating 1000 of orchids by now with the money she made with the book.

Three years ago, when I was not passionate about orchids, I got Phalaenopsis. The second year, despite of my neglect, it flowered just once. But after that, nothing happened. The reason that I became a born again orchids person this winter was a cheap, finished, and discounted Phalaenopsis I saw at a local super market. Of course, it never bloomed. So, I purchased fully blooming ones and they are still blooming after three months. So, in a sense, I am grateful for Phalaenopsis. But my mind is elsewhere now at vanda, Dendrobium, Neofinetia falcata, Ghost Orchid etc. I think once I had it, I get bored with it and have to look for different kinds, I guess.

Yes the next time if I have a chance to go to Florida, definitely my eyes will be wide open.