New Paph. - can't read tag

[Vivienne]

Okay, so it's been rainy and miserable here for the past two days. Work has been chaotic (to say the least). Best cure... a new orchid!

I'm loving my new 'baby', but can't quite make out the name. Any help would be wonderful. From what I can read it says or I think it says:

Paph. Tommy Garcia x (Divisadevo x Ingea_)

I'm hoping between the picture and the portions of the tag I can get it properly named, or come close.

Thanks - Vivienne

[kmarch]

Dear Vivienne,

I was able to dig up a little info, a spelling correction. The one part is Paph Divisadero. I've not yet found anything on the other parents. Could you possibly post a pic of the tag?

Cheers.

[Vivienne]

Thanks kmarch. I figured you might be able to assist in making things a little clearer... such as spelling. I added a pic of the tag to my original message.

Here I thought I was a phal lover, but I'm really enjoying my expanding (ok I only have 4) paph collection. Just hope they enjoy my care in return.

Vivienne

[Vivienne]

doing some research of my own before dinner.

I found a Paph. Tomas Garcia (could be the Tommy Garcia)
You already corrected one part - Paph Divisadero
Also found a Paph Inca - I wonder if that's what the person meant to write?

what are your thoughts?

[Anton]

Lovely looking Paph what ever the name.

[kmarch]

Vivienne,

I think you've solved the mystery. I was able to find a number of pics of Tomas Garcia, and Inca. Both exhibition Paphs and both posess characteristics that could very well produce a flower with markings and colours like yours. I think you're spot on. Congrats! You're turning into a great orchid name sleuth!

By the way, I find your new Paph to be very attractive. It has many nice qualities that judges like. The dorsal sepal is well formed, symetrical and the synsepal or ventral sepal frames the pouch very nicely. The petals are nicely held, outstreched and appear to be well formed. The markings appear to be clear and attractive and the colours even. Could I possibly trouble you to take a straight-on pic of just the flower and post it? While it's dificult to tel just from a pic, my first impression is that your flower may have award-quality attributes.

[Anton]

Do I detect Da Judge coming out in you ?

How long does it usually take to become a judge ?

Are studying multi species of orchids or just Paphs ?

[Vivienne]

kmarch - I couldn't have done it without your help discovering the spelling error. Can't very well search when it's all written incorrectly. So I'm going with Paph. Tomas Garcia x (Divisadero x Inca). I'll get that pic taken in the morning. How exciting - award merits!

Thanks for your help!

[kmarch]

Hi Anton,

Yes, the judge in me jumped out with shameless abandon. It actually happens a lot. I couldn't help it. It's a really nice bloom. I hadn't let it out on the forum yet because the forum seems so strongly geared to growing. I don't think I've seen a thread about shows or awards or judging apart form our own competitions. Also I frequently encounter folks who think that if a plant gets passed for judging that means the judges think it is ugly or not worth having, or worse yet, that the grower has poor taste in orchids. Nothing could be further from the truth. I and many of my judging colleagues regularly find orchids that are not award-quality but that we would be happy to own and grow. Anyway, for this reason I am sometimes careful not to let the judge come out very strongly.

About 7 years ago i started observing AOS judgings, I was fortunate enouugh to live in a town that had a judging center. I entered the AOS judge training program (Great Lakes Judging Center) and finished 2 years of it before moving to Australia. After being here about a year or so i joined the AOC. i've been with them for 2 years now and am (or will soon be pending approval at the next centre business meeting) an Associate Judge in the Victoria Regional Judging Panel.

Here in the Australia, the AOC judges handbook does not specify a particular time frame for becoming a judge. Advancement from student to associate to certified judge happens upon the recommendation of the judging panel. In the US (AOS) it takes a minimum of 6 years to become a certified judge.

Regarding knowledge, judges are expected to have a thorough knowledge of commonly grown species and hybrids and a fundamental knowledge of lesser known species and hybrids. They are, naturally, required to have an applicable knowledge of evaluating criteria and judging standards. They also need to know a bit about hybridizing so that they may know what is expected from a particular cross. For example, in Paphs, if you were looking at a rothschildianum hybrid, you would expect to see multiple flowers as roth is a multi-floral. Even when roth is crossed with single flowered Paphs like malipoense (Harold Koopowitz) it bears more than one flower. If you saw a Paph Harold Koopowitz (roth x malippoense) and it had only one flower you'd say, "Hmmmm...this isn't flowering up to its potential."

The AOC has judge training days and evenings. Sometimes it's a presentation in just one evening, sometimes it is a whole day at someone's nusery. Usually there's a theme and alot of practice evaluating plants. AOC judging also happens at monthly club meetings and students and associate judges get practice there as well.

If people have questions about the AOC judging system or how plants are evaluated I'd be happy to answer questions as best I can.

Cheers

[Anton]

Kevin it helps having someone with this knowledge on here as it is all part of the learning process and helping us better understand what a good plant is, plus understanding the correct nomenclature.

All in all it makes US more knowledgable growers which in turn helps us cultivate good stock and appreciate the complexities of hybridising and knowing what to look for when buying plants.

We certainly do have a wide range of personnel here, professional growers, experienced showers, photographers, trainee judges, enthusiasts, and Fred!

[Vivienne]

Here is the best pic I can get. I'm just not a photographer.

Kevin - how impressive! It sounds like a lot of work, but all enjoyable. I agree, it helps us all.

[fred]

Anton

Quote]We certainly do have a wide range of personnel here, professional growers, experienced showers, photographers, trainee judges, enthusiasts, and Fred!

Nice of you to include me as well

Am I that bad to be last on your list


I dont know much about orchids or do I

[kmarch]

Dear Vivienne,

Thanks for the extra pic of yoru new Paph. Having given it a closer look I see a couple things that might preclude it from being considered for an award on this blooming, but a future flowering could very well be better and awardable. This flower has some very nice qualities, some of which I have detaled in my previous post. I am particularly impressed by the sepals on your flower. If you look at your close-up pic you can see that the outline of the dorsal and synsepal together form an almost perfect circle. In judging exhibition Paphs (aka complex or bulldog Paphs as they are sometimes called) a flower with a very round shape is more awardable (although form is just one of many things judges look at). I've attached a pic of Paph Sierra over which I have superimposed a circle to illustrate what I'm getting at (first atachment). With your flower the sepals make a nice round shape although the petals extend beyond the edges of this circle and judges may have slightly differing opinions on the degree to which this does or does not detract form the overall appearance of the flower (second attachment). The colours are also nice and even, the spots and speckles look clear and not cloudy or muddy, the white margin on the dorsal looks even across the dorsal. You've got a good eye and chose well. It's got potential.

Cheers!

[Anton]

Vivienne, don't put yourself down, that is a very good image of that Paph, it shows everything we need to see.

Members are now taking more care with their images, especially with focus, and when we get sharp well lit images like that, it makes things a lot easier
to comment, or diagnose in the event that there is a problem such as disease or pests.

[kmarch]

I got my attachments together and have added them to my previous post (Thanks Anton!).

-K

[chefatplay]

Vivienne, your new orchid is beautiful. I hope it has taken the I work too hard blues away. You deserve it.

Kevin, thank you for the judging 101. I look at these gorgeous flowers and say wow, you look and analyze. I now have a new eye, thanks to you.

Anton, what would this site be without you! Now that you remember the connection to the monkey business, your monkey business on this site is a treasure, keep up the good work.

Fred, you will always be #1 with me, don't worry!

[Anton]

Fred, what are you complaining about, you got a SPECIAL mention.

[fred]

Its a hard life at the top

may be I need to re visit my local orchid doctor

sounds pretty good to me

[Vivienne]

Thank you kmarch. I loved this paph the moment I saw it. I'm looking forward to our future together and I'll be keeping an eye out for potential award worthy blooms! There are actually, aside from the wierd leave mentioned in a different thread, 2 other growths coming in. Too early to tell if they are new leaves or buds.

Anton - thanks for the nod on the image. It took several shots but I'm working it out.

chefatplay - this plant definitely cured my 'I work too hard' blues. I think it may become a weekly ritual for me.

[kmarch]

Dear chefatplay, I frequently find myself looking at a flower and going , "wow." then looking at it through a judges eye and going, "WOW!"

Vivienne, here are a couple little clues I have learned about telling if your Paph is coming into spike or not: 1) count the number of leaves on the growth you currently have blooming. This is usually the number of leaves your smaller growths will need to have before those growths bloom. 2) Many Paphs put up a small half-grown looking leaf just before they spike. If you have a Paph growth with the correct number fo leaves, and the half-leaf, keep en eye out next for a spike.

Cheers!

[Vivienne]

thanks for the tip kmarch. I think there may be one of each. Lots going on with this plant!