Cattleya amethystoglossa var. coerulea

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coerulea...


Michael Sinn brough this nice C. amethystoglossa to WPB regional judging in February. The judges passed on it but I thought it was nice enough for a portrait !!!

see my album for more photos and expanded descriptions

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As a comparison, here is an extremely rare alba form of the species. This is from 1987, back in my early days as an award photographer. That was five years before the West Palm Beach judging center opened. There was considerable discussion, both before and afterwards, as to whether or not this was was it was exhibited as. I sent a photo to the late Jack Fowlie and phoned to ask him what he thought. Having only a photo, he neither confirmed or denied the ID. He did thinkit was pretty interesting though. My question to you is: if it is not an alba C. amethystoglossa, what else could it possibly be?
requeim: I happen to know the owner very well and this plant went to orchid heaven a long time ago. Too bad.


See my album for the judges comments

[tenman*]

Lovely, lovely, lovely!

[Ron-NY]

too bad the alba is not around anymore...It would have been worthy of being cloned

[Vincent]

C. amethystoglossa var. alba - yes, what else could it be?

I see in the AOS Award descriptions that a JC is "given for distinctive characteristics that the judges unanimously feel should be recognized but cannot be scored in the customary ways." So I was thinking that maybe for a JC, 'Sagaert' didn't have to be verified as an amethystoglossa by a taxonomic authority.

But it was awarded as an amethystoglossa, and according to the Judging Handbook, a taxoniomic identification is required for "the first award given to a species regardless of awards category."

Do you know whether or not the species was verified for the JC award?

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It was not verified. This is 22 years ago remember. I would have to ask a senior judge what the policies were then. As I said, Fowlie was not able to confirm from just the photograph.