Dr. Guido J Braem wrote:
Dorothy is fully right. One may think about Tom Kalina and Fox Valley
Orchids as one wishes, and it is true that his identifications are not
always correct. However, if he gets an award for a misnamed plant (such
as Phrag. hirtzii Fox Valley), it is the Judging Center that is to be
blamed.
As a volunteer student judge I am being taught that we judge the plant presented to us on the judging table. Species especially are to be taken at face value unless one of the judges is certain that it is obviously mislabeled. We research and judge what is presented. Although we do see many plants, and quite a number of species, judges are not usually taxonomists and we should leave it to the trained professionals to verify the identity of the plants. That is why the award is provisional until verified. If the Judging Center is following the guidlines on judging one should not fault the Judging Center for a mislabeled awarded plant but the taxonomist that verified the plant.
Fred Rindlisbacher
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
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