An Orchid in a Million

A MERE glance at this orchid can make Innisfail breeder Rik Kelder weak at the knees.
As far as he knows, the bloom is a world-first.
Mr Kelder has spent 20 years breeding hybrids in greenhouses behind his home and says this one is an inexplicable mutation that could soon be marketed right across Australia and even worldwide.
The plant has been cross-bred from an exotic grammatophyllum orchid and a cymbidium species native to Australia.
"I’ve done that many times, but this has no resemblance to the others at all," Mr Kelder said.
"It’s the kind of mutation that might occur once in a million years."
The orchid looks most like a straight cymbidium, which only flowers in cooler climates but the national herbarium has confirmed its pollen structure is completely different, he said.
Mr Kelder is going to clone the plant at the end of its flowering and then mass produce it.
Hundreds of orchids will be on display at the Tropical Queensland Orchid Council Conference and Show at Cairns Showgrounds’ Fred Moule Exhibition Centre this weekend from 9am-5pm both days.

URL: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2008/06/03/4309_local-news.html

Enjoy,
Steve