Judges Handbook B2.1

Judges Clinics – Structure and Content

 

 

Clinic 1 – Plant and Foliage Recognition

Covers the following topics:

  1. Species and Inter-Specific Hybrids Recognition
  2. Foliage Qualities
  3. Variegation Longitudinal and Non- Longitudinal
  4. Foliage Habits – Length, Width, and Recognition of Asian Breeding lines
  5. Condition, Balance and/or Peduncle Strength
  6. Grooming and Presentation

 

C1.1 Species and Inter-Specific Hybrids Recognition

 

C1.2 Foliage Qualities (adopted from the China Clivia Association’s “The Standard of appreciation and appraisal of the Chinese Clivia”)

Foliage should conform to their classification.

 

Brightness: Brightness refers to the degree of light reflecting from surface of the leaves. The Chinese consider glossy leaves are better.

1.      Glossy

2.      Shiny bright

3.      Glittering

4.      Bright

5.      Light bright

6.      Dark (satiny / flat / dull)

Smoothness (Fineness): Smoothness refers to the surface of leaves. It can be felt with the fingers. It is clearly seen with a magnifying glass. The Chinese consider smooth leaves are better.

1.      Smooth

2.      General smooth

3.      General rough

4.      Rough

Rigidity: Rigidity refers to the bending strength of the whole leaf (longitudinal strength). It is related to the length of the leaves. The Chinese consider stronger leaves are better.

Thickness: Thickness refers to the thickness of a cross section of the leaf (non-longitudinal strength). Thickness varies from the edge of the leaf to the middle of leaves. Measure the thickness at a point 5cm from the leaf tip and 2 other points in the middle of the leaf; then average this figure. The Chinese consider thicker leaves are better.

Veins: Veins refer to the vascular structure of the leaves. The Chinese consider that the best veins are; strong and bulge, distributed evenly over the whole leaf with similar intervals, that perpendicular veins form squares shapes, and that smaller vein intervals are better.

Color: Leaf color or colors should be clear and evenly distributed or gradated within their appropriate zones, according to their classification. The Chinese consider stronger contrasts of two colors on the same leaf and a 1:1 ratio of the two colors are better.

Leaf Shape: Leaf Shape refers to the ratio of length to width. The Chinese consider 3:1 ratios are better.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaf arrangement refers to the symmetry and even distribution of the leaves. The Chinese consider leaves that form an open fan shape with inclination angles greater than zero are better.

1.      Straight

2.      Recurved

3.      Recurved Tips (Bunny Ears)

4.      Spreading

Base Shape/Seat Shape (false bulb / trunk): Base shape refers to the symmetry plant base with no brown edges or spaces. The Chinese consider that larger angles between the vertical and the leaf blade edge are better.

1.      Trapezium / Show Shape

2.      Triangle

3.      Column Shape / Tower Shape

4.      Wedge Shape

 Leaf Tip (Leaf Form) (Head Shape): Leaf tips refer to the uniformity of the ends of the leaves. The Chinese consider obtuse leaf tips are better.

1.      Emarginated

2.      Retuse

3.      Semicircular / Rounded

4.      Elliptic / Obtuse

5.      Cuspidate

6.      Sudden-tip shape / Acute Broadly

7.      Gradual-tip shape / Acute Medium

8.      Acute-tip shape / Acute Narrow

C1.3 Variegation

 

Longitudinal Variegation:

 

Typically represented in the form of lighter stripes distributed along the length of the leaves, often displayed in a regular pattern. In Clivia, leaves are usually a single color of green (light to dark), Variegation is the presence of two or more colors and may be in any combination of dark green, light green, yellow, gray or white areas. Groups may be further subdivided into classes (e.g., based on leaf length) depending on the number of entries in each group.

 

1.      Striped / Shima-Fu / Rainbow / Colored Orchid (lighter stripes throughout the length of the leaves)

2.      Marginal / Fukurin (lighter stripes along the edges of the leaves)

3.      Median / Naka-Fu (lighter stripes along the center of the leaves)

4.      Mandarin Duck / Genpei-Fu (lighter stripe along one half of the leaf length)

5.      Negishi-Fu (very thin, string-like, lighter non- continuous stripes throughout the length of the leaves)

6.      Jinsi / Golden Threads (many narrow continuous stripes running from the base to the tip of the leaf. The white to green ratio is 1:1 and the lighter color must be clear)

 

Non Longitudinal Variegation:

 

  1. Akebono: Leaves should have distinct horizontal white or yellow bands on an otherwise green leaf. The banding should be present on all mature leaves and regularly spaced.
  2. Light of Buddha (a sub-set of Akebono): Leaves should have non-distinct horizontal white or yellow areas or blotches on an otherwise green leaf. The areas should be present on all mature leaves.
  3. Moonlight
  4. Tessellated or “Painted Face”: Leaf veins should be dark green and the spaces between should be distinctly lighter and translucent in color for good contrast.
  5. Tiger Variegation / Toro-Fu (variegated stripes look like the stripes on a tiger) (caused by virus infection)
  6. Other (i.e., color dilutes, etc.)

 

C1.4 Foliage Habits (need visual examples of range)

Leaf Widths (measured at the widest leaf [if the rest of the leaves are considerably narrower it possible indicates that the plant is in poor health])

 

  1. Very Narrow (VN): Less than 12.5mm (about .5 inch) wide.
  2. Extra Narrow (EN): Between 12.5mm (about .5 inch) and 25mm (about 1 inch) wide.
  3. Narrow Leaf (N): Between 25mm (about 1 inch) and 37.5mm (about 1.5 inches) wide.
  4. Sub-Division B: Standard Leaves Between 37.5mm (about 1.5 inches) and 75mm (about 3 inches)
  5. Semi Narrow Leaf (SN): Between 37.5mm (about 1.5 inches) and 50mm (about 2 inches) wide.
  6. Standard Leaf (S): Between 50mm (about 2 inches) and 75mm (about 3 inches) wide.
  7. Sub-Division C: Broad Leaves Greater than 75mm (about 3 inches)
  8. Semi Broad Leaf (SB): Between 75mm (about 3 inches) and 100mm (about 4 inches) wide.
  9. Broad Leaf (B): Between 100mm (about 4 inches) and 125mm (about 5 inches) wide.
  10. Extra Broad Leaf (EB): Between 125mm (about 5 inches) and 150mm (about 6 inches) wide.
  11. Very Broad Leaf (VB): Between 150mm (about 6 inches) and 175mm (about 7 inches) wide.
  12. Ultra Broad Leaf (UB): Greater than 175mm (about 7 inches) wide.

 

Leaf Lengths (measured at the longest leaf [if the rest of the leaves are considerably shorter it possible indicates that the plant is in poor health])

  1. Dwarf - Less than 200mm (about 8 inches) in length.
  2. Small - Between 200mm (about 8 inches) and 400mm (about 16 inches) in length.
  3. Medium - Between 400mm (about 16 inches) and 800mm (about 32 inches) in length.
  4. Large - Between 800mm (about 32 inches) and 1200mm (about 4 feet) in length.
  5. Giant - Greater than 1200mm (about 4 feet) in length.

 

 

Breeding Lines (Monk, Sparrow, Daruma, Heng Lan)

 

Monk:

Leaf length 300 – 500 mm (12 to 20 inches)

Leaf width 90 – 110 mm (about 4 inches)

Leaf shape (length to width ratio) is 3:1 to 5:1

Bright, veined and upright leaves

 

Sparrow:

Leaf length 300 – 350 mm (12 to 14 inches)

Leaf width 120 – 130 mm (about 5inches)

Leaf shape (length to width ratio) is 1:1 to 1:1.5

Bright leaves with clear ridged and thick veins

Leaf tips point a little to one side

 

Chinese Daruma:

Leaf length 200 – 300 mm (8 to 12 inches)

Leaf width 100 – 140 mm (4 to 5.5 inches)

Leaf shape (length to width ratio) is 1.5:1 to 2.5:1

Pendulous leaves with round tips on a symmetrical base

 

Heng Lan (Chang [long] Lan, Duan [short] Lan):

Leaf length 120 mm (5 inches)

Leaf width 110 – 120 mm (<5 inches)

Leaf shape (length to width ratio) is 1:1 to 1.5:1

Neatly arrangement leaves with a short base

Regular and raised light green veins forming squares

Round and convex leaf tip forming a spoon-like shape

 

 

Other Textured Foliage Forms/Habits

(e.g., Pleated, Crested, Crinkly, Malian [Dragon Skin] [Venation], etc.)

 

Miniatures

 

Twelve leaves must be present to ensure that the plant is mature. The plant, umbel and flower must be all reduced in size proportionally. Optimally entries will be in flower to ensure that they are not merely dwarfs.

The plant, umbel and floret must be all reduced in size proportionally to about 1/3 (~7in:~3in:~1in). Leaf width can vary.

 

C1.5 Condition, Balance and/or Peduncle Strength:

  1. The plant base (trunk) should have no brown edges or spaces. Leaves should not be clorotic and free from brown spots.
  2. There should be a pleasing visual balance between inflorescence, peduncle, foliage and container (the plant should be growing straight upright in the pot.)
  3. The peduncle (scape) must be sufficiently strong and upright to support the umbel without staking. For cut peduncles (scapes), emphasis will be placed on the overall balance of the peduncle (scape) and their strength and ability to support the umbel.

 

C1.6 Grooming and Presentation:

 

Note: NACS places the importance on the horticultural qualities of Clivia rather than on the grooming and presentation.

 

  1. All plant parts should be undamaged. Allowances should be made for transport damage.
  2. All plant parts should be clean and free of pests.
  3. Bracts should be removed.
  4. Anthers should still be attached.
  5. Leaves may be trimmed to remove scarred or damaged tissue (but not excessively.)
  6. An unnaturally colored plant base (trunk) resulting from the removal of old leaves is undesirable.
  7. The plant should be center in the pot.
  8. Pots should be cleaned to remove dirt and/or hard water deposits.
  9. The top dressing should be fresh with no other organisms present (moss, fungus, etc.).

 

Note: The type of pots and top dressings should have no bearing on the presentation score, but can be considered in the event of an otherwise point tie.