Cirrhopetalum fascinator var alba

While I was still new to orchid growing years ago, I purchased a specimen of C. fascinator from a local nursery, which had just imported a sizeable shipment from Thailand. It was a random pick, out of the many plants with flower buds being offered. As the bud developed, I realised something was amissed - and when the bloom was fully opened, I thought I had a hybrid. I took the flowering plant to the nursery owner, who literally jumped out from his seat. He told me it was the rare "alba" variety and immediately took the remaining plants from his shelf.

You see, the usual form of this plant, has a lot of bright liver and crimson colour, but this plant has none of the red pigments. Still doubtful, I consulted Dr Leslie Garay, a Bulbophyllum authority who confirmed the identification. While semi-alba forms infrequently turn up in collection, pure alba is rather unusual.

As it turned out, none of the remaining stock from the nursery was "alba". I guessed I was really lucky.

By the way, Dr Garay, now retired, thinks that this plant should be placed in a separate genus called "Mastigion". There are some features that distinguish Mastigion from "normal" Cirrhopetalums, the most obvious being the singular flower (rather than many in an inflorescence) with a long slender "rat tail"(actually a merger of the 2 lateral sepals). I visited him in Virginia three and a half years ago and was overwhelmed both by his enthusiasm and his orchid literature - his house has many cabinets in all corners filled with reference materials.