Derek Butcher 30/05/11 S.A. Newsletter - "AND now to a magnificent specimen called Aechmea ‘Felicia’ but the query is where did an Orchid Grower by the name of Peter get the plant and the name. It looked like a spineless Aechmea fasciata hybrid of which there are many where parents are secret. There is an Aechmea ‘Felice’ which is an albo-marginate form of Ae. ‘Fascini’. Could Peter’s plant be called ‘Felice Novar’ (lost its variegation!) or ‘Fascini’. Peter needs to do some investigation because with his Orchid background he will be expecting the label to be correct. I got Julie Batty to take a photo of the flower because in these cases this particular part of the plant is generally unknown.
How did A. ‘Felicia’ get into Australia by its hundreds because we do not know its parents and you must know the species make up of every hybrid imported into Australia so it can be assessed for weed potential (at a cost)."
Geoff Lawn 30/05/11 - "In March/April 2004 Bromeliaceae front cover photo you'll remember Olive's Aechmea 491 got featured, albeit unidentified. Derek followed this up and it was decided the wide-spread stock around Australia around 2005-6 was closely matched to Ae. Stefanie. I note fcbs.org database show this name Stefanie (from Skotak/Deroose) was registered in June, 2005.
Just before this, I recall Olive told me that Ae. 491 was being called Ae. Felicity (as I recall) by "someone". Felicity was never registered and possibly it's the same as "Felicia".
Julie Batty's photo of "Felicia" is too close-up, but I think it matches 491 = Stefanie.
Olive, did your Ae. 491 come from Marlborough Nursery stock (Brisbane) whose imported spineless Aechmea stock Len & I saw in 2001? Also, did you ever find out who named that plant "Felicity" ,or was it "Felicia"?"
Derek Butcher 30/05/11 - "I think you have solved the problem. The 'Felicia' on the Australia site without petal colour, seems the same as Tristram's photo of 'Stefanie' This seems to be confirmed by Julie Batty's photo. I asked Julie to take a close-up of the flower because this is lacking in so many of these Skotak hybrids and yet should be an aid to identification.
I think we should add the name Felicia to the BCR noting that it is an Australian name for 'Stefanie' and adding photos
If the name Felicity is in the same category then this should be noted too."
Geoff Lawn 01/06/11 - "I am having to correct an anomaly which needs your help. Derek & I have determined that Ae. Felicia (unregistered), as grown in Australia, and Ae. Stefanie (491) are identical."
Richard Harper 02/06/11 - "They were originally brought in to the country as tissue culture and labelled Felicia.
They are spineless fasciata hybrids and we have been selling them commercially for a few years now. Others in the group - Inca, Mohecan, Maya & Starbright all with different flowering."
Geoff Lawn 03/06/11 - "Judging by Richard's reply that Ae. Felicia was imported into Australia under that name, in their BCR entries I will have to put a question mark (?) as to whether Ae. Stefanie & Ae. Felicia are the same identical clone. They certainly look very similar.
Also, I will follow up with Richard on the unregistered Ae. Starbright he quotes."
Derek Butcher 03/06/11 - "I disagree because we do not know who EXPORTED to Australia. When I was Registrar I complained to Deroose that they were selling the same plant from Europe AND the Philippines with different names. It went in one ear and out the other. This practice is rife in Roses where a Rose can have a different name in every country it is sold and all seems legitimate according to the ICNCP! I say we say it is the same and get THEM (whoever they are) to prove otherwise."
Ed. 03/07/11. At this date, the BCR has not been ammended.
