Trilabellia (Trilabiate)

Phenotypes
Trilabellia is a genetic modification characterized by the formation of new lips on a typical flower of the Orchidaceae.

petals - neo-lips - lips

The classification of the Trilabiate

a) According to the degree of the holo-morphochromatical differentiation
This classification takes into consideration the general form, the shapeof the neo-lips prints and flower colors.

a.1) complete trilabiate: Trilabiate flowers Flowers which have two neo-lips practically identical to original lip in the shape, size as well as in the colors and labellum prints when existent. Concerning the shapeof the sepals, they can subdivided into iso-sepals (superior sepal identical to the inferior ones) and aniso-sepals (superior sepal different from the inferior ones).

a.2) incomplete trilabiate: Trilabeloid flowers They differ from the trilabiate flowers for having differences between the neo-lips and the original lip either in the phenotypes of the forms or in the phenotypes of the printed drawings.

b) Regarding to the existence or not of the neo-lips prints

b.1) trilabellum with macula They present labellum-print in the neo-lips that can have the same drawing of the original lip or not.

b.2) trilabellum without macula It corresponds to the trilabiate just evident on the shapeof the neo-lips. They are flowers that present or not labellum-print but never neo-lips prints.

c) Denomination of the trilabellum according to the phenotypes of the forms and the presence of the morpho-chromatisms on the lips.

c.1) morphic trilabellum It is only observed in the evident shapeof the neo-lips, they do not have print originating from the lip

c.2) chromatic trilabellum This discussable phenotype is only evident by the prints of the neo-lips, not showing anything more that indicates the trilabellia because the neo-lips remain as they were typical shape petals. They are and can be considered as the true typical shapeflamea when they would be place side by side with the punctuate, striated, veined and maculate.

c.3) morpho-chromatic trilabellum It is evident in the shapeas well in the colors printed originated from the lip (trilabellum with macula)

Trilabiate and Bilabiate with instable phenotype

Some trilabiate or bilabiate cultivars present a genetic instability in the color or in the form.


neo-lip morpho-chromatic - polyploid petal

In the trilabiate with macula, there are many combinations observed between the phenotypes of the forms and the morpho-chromasia of the neo-lips.

Classification of the Trilabiate with macula according to the print presented
on the neo-lips (classification by the multiform neo-lip)

a) aquinoide
Print having origin in the lip with similar draw to the cultivar ‘Aquinii’, it means, full, homogenous and well delimitated, practically without blots. It can be considered as a chromatic reproduction of the "type" print of the lips in the typical intermedia.



b) flamea:
With neo-lip prints similar to the lip prints of the multiform sp of typical intermedia, it means, without homogenous color and without well delimitated form.




In trilabiate with macula, the neo-lips prints will be denominated with the same nomenclature of the original lip prints in the typical intermedia:
Integral (complete); Pseudotype; Oculata; Veined ; Orlata; Marginata; Striata; Flameo-lineata; Flamea (= Multiform sp.); Aquinoide (= type)

In Cattleya intermedia trilabellum, the lineato phenotype found on the neo-lips does not have correspondence on the original lips, however, they occur on the lips of some monofoliate cattleyas.

On the other hand, the trilabellum called without macula on the neo-lips can have or not macula on the original lip and are arranged in primary basic colors or on the colors of the prints on the lips if existent.

Two Cultivars of Cattleya Intermedia with Exuberant Phenotype

C. intermedia trilabeloide marginata multiform marginato (Photo lent by FGO)

Cattleya intermedia trilabeloide coerulea striate veined multiform marginata veined (with gymnochilia) (Photo kindly lent by Carlos Gomes)