First candidate for this month is Mormodes species.

This plant has been entered as Mormodes revoluta, Rolfe (1909) (synonym of Mormodes warszewiczii, Klotzsch (1854)).

However, this Mormodes species identified by Gerardo A. Salazar as Mormodes tigrina.

Mormodes tigrina Barb.Rodr (1877) is accepted species by POWO Kew. The native range of this species is Andean foothills of the Peruvian Amazonia and Rio Negro region of Brazil. It is a pseudobulbous epiphyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Previous Awards:

There are 2 AOS awards for Mormodes tigrina, both are botanical awards (CBR and CHM). 

Description:

Candidate plant has 22 flowers and no bud on 3 inflorescences up to 12 cm length. Vendor of this plant is Orquideas Amazonicas, Peru.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 6.2 cm;                   NS V -4.2 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 1.3 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 3.5 cm;

Petal W - 1.5 cm;               Petals L - 3.2 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 1.3 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 3.5 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 2.2 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 5.4 cm.

Judges' Comments

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Twenty-two nicely colored, moderately crowded flowers on three inflorescences emanating from a young but progressively enlarging, well-grown, pleasingly presented plant. Considerable crowding causes multiple flower part deformities. Flower count about half of awarded average. But do not abandon all hope: Plant will grow, and, with continued excellent culture, an award could very well be in the offing. See: Nikole--89 point CCM 1993.

Of interest: Jean Monnier's TWO CBRs in 1989 (At the SAME judging!!??) 

Kris Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

Mormodes revoluta is a synonym for Mormodes warsszewiczii, although in this case, based on the shape of the lip, I do not believe this is the correct species.  I am most definitely not 100% sure what species it is.  Assuming it's a species, the closest fit I could find with my limited resources is  Mormodes andicola.  https://www.aos.org/awards-judging/sitf-findings/Mormodes-revolutum-warscewiczii-confirmed-to-be-Mo Which also fits the narrative of the AOS SITF Jan 2009 linked of initial and final ID.  Assuming andicola is correct, I would pass.  The flower count is good, I like the color, markings and presentation of the lip, but I don't like the markings on the sepals and petals, they are in-between; enough so you see them, but not enough to be distinctive.

Joe Bryson (Accredited Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

 I asked Ron McHatton and he said: Depending on the shape of the sidelobes, it could be several species including lobulata or tigrina. I like lobulata better than tigrina both for color and size. I would ask Fred Clarke, Sunset Valley Orchids, or Andy of Andy's Orchids. It is not M. revoluta (warszewiczii).

Kris Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

After examining the close up photo you recently provided, I feel like it more closely fits M. variabalis because the description of M. variabalis specifically mentions the hairs on the surface of lip and minute, sparse hairs across the back surface of the sepals and petals, where as the botanical description of  M. andicola does not mention hairs, except the apex of the sepals and petals being minutely aristate (but that is more "bristle like" than hairs.  If you look thru the 9 awards to variabalis, many of them also mention hairs, finely hirsute or minutely pubescent which can be seen in the photos.  Although 1 of the 3 awards to M. andicola mentions sparse hairs, I do not see it in the botanical description of the flower.  The lip shape of both botanical drawings very closely resembles the submitted plant. Link to researchgate.net original publication for M. andicola.  (PDF) A NEW SPECIES OF MORMODES (ORCHIDACEAE) FROM BOLIVIA as well as published drawings of M. variabalis and M. andicola.

Gerardo Adolfo Salazar Chavez (Investigador Titular/Senior Researcher, Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)

Hello Sergei:

Your photos are of one of the several color morphs of what I consider Mormodes tigrina. This species is common on the Andean foothills of the Peruvian Amazonia and is found as far as the Río Negro region of Brazil.

I have seen pure canary yellow, whitish with red spots, and nearly wine red color forms. I attach the original plate by Barbosa Rodrigues, which is the type of the species, for comparison. The resupinate, glabrous flowers with a neatly reduplicate labellum and the apical portion inflexed are distinguishing features. Flower color is quite unreliable for species' distinction.

I hope that helps.

Best regards,

Gerardo

Paul Wetter (Senior Judge, West Palm Beach Judging Center)

Thank you for submitting this very striking and well grown plant of Mormodes species.

This is nicely grown plant with flowers of striking color and a form as to be expected. There is some crowding, but that does not significantly detract to the overall presentation. Size of flowers and floriferousness is slightly less than average compared to previous awards. But based on flower color, form and overall presentation I would expect a quality award low AM. 

Best Regards

Paul Wetter

Christian Carrillo (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

The color of the candidate is arresting.   I would classify it as a burnt red.  The lip is also stunning: a beautiful orange with regular darker red spots. The candidate is also nicely flowered with three inflorescences and 22 flowers.  However, the arrangement of the flowers is not pleasing.  I find the arrangement congested and irregular.  This precludes it from a nomination on my part.   

Fred Clarke (Accredited Judge, Pacific South Judging Center)

Color is good, rich and evenly distributed, nice contrasting lip color

Flower size and segments appear to be within range

Flower count appears a bit low per inflorescence, but… made up for the 3 inflorescences from one bulb

Arrangement is within range, a little bunched.

Flower shape is asymmetrical, taking it away from the AOS standards on shape (however we do award Latouria and Antelope Dendrobiums with equally unsymmetric segments). With that knowledge and as our standard is established on type and breeding.  I am seeing uniformly asymmetric flowers, that is, each flower looks like the adjacent flower. I consider this a good quality.

Cool hairs on the segments

Looks like a low AM/AOS.

Steve González-Costa (Accredited Judge, Chicago Judging Center)

This plant does seem like the Morm. tigrina when compared to other plants, but should be sent to SITF to confirm it’s identity regardless. Incredible color with more of contrasting color on the lip that Morm. tigrina ‘McHatton/Young’. There are much less flowers per inflorescence and they also seem to compare to be smaller, although we never know how the measurements were takes over 20 years ago on older awards. Flower color and presentation is good and powerful for this particular plant. I will pass on it right now pending that it might improve at a future flowering, still a very dark and colorful flower.

Joe Bryson (Accredited Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

I think the color on this is superb. It is very well flowered, although crowded. The form is typical of Mormodes, as is the presentation. Given it already has a CBR and CHM, I think this should be given a quality award and I would score it in the lower AM range to get it started. I'm probably giving too many points for the color and markings, but so be it. It is not required to send this to SITF, since it is not a CBR or CHM; however, if the judges are not sure, it could be sent. I for one agree with Salazar that this is tigrina.

Exhibitor - Svetlana Malayev (Student Judge, Northeast Judging Center, NJ)

Virtual Award Description

Twenty-two flowers moderately crowded on three bronze colored up right inflorescences up to 12-cm long arising from middle of single pseudobulb on a three growth plant; Sepals and petals oblong-elliptic, light ruby red, heavily blotched and striped darker ruby red, front and back surfaces covered in shiny, translucent pilose hairs, dorsal sepal and petals cupped over column, lateral sepals reflexed; lip fleshy, ovate, linearly folded, sharply curved apical 1/5, tip at sharp angle to fold, orange finely spotted dark ruby red, basally, centrally and reverse heavily suffused ruby red, front and back surfaces covered in shiny, translucent pilose hairs; column and anther cap ruby red, reverse ivory; substance heavy, texture glossy. 

Grower's Advice

Plant was purchased from Orquideas Amazonicas, Peru in summer 2021. Since it did not have any viable roots, it was mounted on piece of cork so I would not water it by mistake with all other potted plants. Next season it was potted using PET method. It requires typical catasetinae culture, a lot of irrigation/fertilization during active growth, reducing watering during dormancy. In apartment setting during NY winter, I have to water it once a week to prevent bulbs from shriveling too much.

Seems that if flower inflorescence develops and matures under direct sun it stays compact causing flower crowdedness, under LED lights inflorescence tends to grow longer towards the source of light.

Temperature affects the intensity of bloom color.