This week I would like to present Rhyncholaeliocattleya Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green' (synonym Brassolaeliocattleya) (Rlc. Waikiki Gold x Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown)

Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier is an orchid hybrid originated by Kodama and registered by M.Rabago in 1982.

Species Composition: C. forbesii (25%) + C. dowiana (21%) + C. granulosa (13%) + C. loddigesii (13%).

Previous Awards:

There’s no awards on Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier.

Rlc. Waikiki Gold has 8 AOS awards,

Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown has 17 AOS awards.

Description:

Blc. Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green' (Blc. Waikiki Gold x Blc. Memoria Helen Brown).

This variety is not awarded. Although there are several color forms of Waikiki Gold, this was almost certainly using the yellow Waikiki Golds. Waikiki Gold hybrids usually have a 'distinctive look'.

The plant is 30 cm in height with four bulbs growing in a 15 cm plastic azalea pot.

3 flowers on one inflorescence. Width of inflorescence: 22.6cm. held above bifoliate leaf structure.

Mature bulbs are bifoliate.

Substance: Heavy

Texture: Moderately crystalline.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 11.0 cm; NS V - 11.5 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 2.8 cm; Dorsal Sep. L - 6.7 cm;

Petal W - 4.0 cm; Petals L - 6.1 cm;

Lat/Synsepal W - 2.1 cm; Lat/Synsepal L - 6.0 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 4.0 cm; Lip/Pouch L - 5.4 cm.

Judges' Comments

Alan Koch

Here you have a plant with 50 year old parents that were still good 30 years ago. I stopped breeding with Waikiki Gold 30 years ago and Memoria Helen Brown 20 years ago. Both parent plants will put on a display of 4 to 6 flowers per inflorescence with most of the good Waikiki Gold giving a NS of 11 to 12.CM. Mem. Helen Brown will put a NS of 14 to 16 CM. Although the color of the sepals and petals on the candidate is good the size and the flower count are on the minimal side. The lip shows that putting the percentage of parentage often is meaningless as this is a granulosa lip. This is a small plant not performing to its true potential. The flower on the left is most likely the smallest flower and the segments are not as full and this is common with Cattleyas when they flower on smaller plants. I am sure the substance is very good on this hybrid. Give this plant a chance to grow up and achieve its true potential. I would pass on this flowering and it may never quite get there for me.

Alan Koch

Al Messina

Three flowers on one inflorescence in a complex cattleya hybrid (percentages of genetic ancestry are only for discussion purposes and may bear no relation to the actual genotypic content beyond the first generation). Form of petals and lips varies from flower to flower, including marked fenestration in flower #1, and are disqualifying for flower award on this bloom, in my opinion. Exhibitor should be encouraged to return the candidate on next bloom.

Thanks for allowing me to participate.

Albert Messina

Ed Weber

In applying my "method" to this flower I pulled up the AOS awards to both parents. I used the second photo, the one with the clear face-on view of the flower with a profile of the proximate flowers, as my guide as I believe this photo best represents the candidate.

Rlc. Waikiki Gold 'Lea' HCC/AOS from 1979 is the closest I could find in both color and form as well as the lip construction. Fascinating that after 40 years this award still holds up.

Rlc. Mem. Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton' AM/AOS from 1978 holds the same distinction for the pollen parent. Again, I believe that this award holds up to this day.

The ever-present question "Has this cross improved on the parents in any significant way?" is where I always start. While I think this candidate is a well formed, symmetrical flower of good color, I don't think it improves on the breeding line in any notable way.

Going by size it falls exactly between the two clones I mentioned previously. Had it leaned more toward the Helen Brown parent I might have been more impressed. It did not.

Likewise with flower count. 6 on the 'Lea' clone and 2 (visible) in the Helen Brown clone (since no flower count was given). 3 flowers. Nice, but not impressive.

I would not nominate this plant myself. If someone else nominated it I would not go so far as to recuse myself, but I would not expect to score much higher than 78 or 79 points.

Respectfully,

Ed Weber

Carrie Buchman

Rhyncholaeliocattleya Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green'

This is certainly a pretty, well proportioned, flower. Though difficult to tell from the photos, it appears to not be as flat as I would like. There is a noticeable inconsistency in the lip marking in the three flowers perhaps due to age or environmental factors? One flower has fenestrated segments which is not evident in the other two photos. In all three flowers, the lip does not fully encase the column. This is a young plant, and as it grows up, it will make quite a show. I hope we see it again when it reaches its potential.

Kind Regards,

Carrie Buchman

Jean Allen-Ikeson

Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green'

The colour is wonderful but I would have hoped for fuller form given that there has been a lot of breeding that has occurred in yellow/green catts in the last 40 years. This does not appear to be an improvement over the parents and this is most evident in the lip, which is a step backwards with the twisted, narrow, irregular end lobe. The floriferousness and size are within range for what you might expect. I would not nominate this for an award. That being said, I find the general public is drawn to crisp greens and that makes this grex worthwhile to grow.

Jean Allen-Ikeson

Martin Motes

Sergey;

This is a beautifully colored flower. The dorsal sepal is very nice but the petals are sloped too far forward and one is rolled inward. Overall the petals should be flatter. The lip is rolled backward and not as well displayed as might be.

The inflorescence is well held above the foliage and the flowers are nicely displayed. In an ideal world, the plant might carry 4 or even possibly 5 flowers.

Despite these drawbacks I think the plant deserves recognition as a 79 pt. HCC.

Stay well,

Martin

Cathy Higgins

Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green'

The three flowers are nicely arranged on one inflorescence. The chartreuse color is fantastic. The size is consistent with awarded Waikiki Golds. In what appears to be characteristic of the 'Carla's Green' clones, the petals are held slightly forward of the sepals' plane. Also, the lip is slightly recurved apically. I'd score in the high HCC range.

Cathy Higgins

Sergey Skoropad

Rhyncholaeliocattleya Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green'

Because no awards on this cross I would like to check parents more carefully.

Rlc. Waikiki Gold:

Out of 8 awards I think clone ‘Beechview’s Mansel’ AM/AOS from 1981 more close to candidate than others, especially latest clones: four flowers on one inflorescence, NS 11.5 cm and petals W 3.9 cm, color yellow-green.

Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown ‘Sweet Afron’ AM/AOS from 1976 is the most beautiful out of all Helen Brown (I can tell this because we have division of this clone!). Four flowers on one inflorescence, NS 13.5 cm and petals W 6.6 cm, color chartreuse.

Back to our candidate - Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier. I think Victor Umi Peltier take his place between these two parents and remind me clone ‘Beechview’s Mansel’ with the shape of the petals and color from ‘Sweet Afron’.

Is this cross having improvements over the parents - not sure, probably no.

I’m not 100% sure if we should use this method to compare to the parents, maybe we should treat this cross as just Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier.

There are some positive things in this plant: flowers nicely presented above foliage, not crowded (this will definitely happens if we see 4 or more flowers 14+ cm). Very pleasant color similar to ‘Sweet Afron’. Although petals are not very wide (as probably new standards required) I found shape of the flowers overall balanced.

Some things that I would love to see better: petals on first flower are not straight, color pattern on the lip of all three flowers is not consistent.

Is this cross awardable? I think so, but if I will score I will score as low HCC 76-77 pts.

I believe, it’s still young plant and 4 little larger flowers could bring higher score.

Thanks

Sergey

Deb Bodei

Thank you for accepting my commentary.

Rlc. Victor Umi Peltier 'Carla's Green'

Observations and Commentary

I am assessing this plant for a flower award.

The parents of this cross have received many awards, but most awards are from 30 or 40 years ago. I find the general form most similar to the Waikiki Gold ‘Beechview’s Mansel’ which received 80 points in 1981, and Memoria Helen Brown ‘Showpiece’ which received an AM of 81 points in 1981. However, the appearance of this cross is very different from both parents in a unique and pleasing way, so it’s not easy to compare it to the immediate parents without taking a deeper dive. This cross shows influence from forbesii and granulosa especially in the uniqueness of the attractive lip. There is good symmetry in all segments including the lip. Nice dorsal and sepals and although the petals would be even better a little wider, they fill in the panes well enough in two of the three blooms. The flower is well-balanced.

The overall color is elegant with the chartreuse sepals and petals offset by the yellow glow and the understated, yet clear uniform markings in the throat of the lip.

Finally, the arrangement of the flowers is very nice.

Recommendation

I would nominate this plant for a flower award based on the unique qualities inherited from its species parentage, its overall balance, understated elegance and the way the blooms are nicely presented. I would score it between 80-82 points for an AM award.

Thanks,

Deb

Exhibitor - Mark Werther, PA (Accredited Judge, Mid-Atlantic Judging Center)