Recent comments by Bill on the OGD regarding the use of alba/album/albus (root word for "white") to indicate a lack of anthrocins is present in the flower, thereby providing a differentiation between a normally colored flower with reddish-purple is somewhat confusing. While I have the utmost respect for him as an orchid judge and fully accept his statement that AOS indicates the practice of alba and semi-alba as a "lack of color" it is perceived by me as being impractical. Here is why....
In botanical Latin used to describe a new species, a usage of semi-alba would indicate "half white" while the alba/album/albus connotates white. There exists a whole list of botanical Latin words depicting degrees or shades of white, i. e., niveus (snow white), candidus (pure white but not as clear a white), eburneus (ivory white), lacteus (milk white), cretaceus/calcareus/gypseus (chalk white), etc. Sterns' Botanical Latin plus what one understands of the standards for biological and botanical naming of orchids indicates usage of albescens (turning white), albidis (whitish), and dealbatus (whitened) to indicate paler or bleached out coloration, but not if the bleached condition does not yield white! Without being catty, perhaps Sibilis will enlighten this poor scholar further. Doug Harris _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
