Orchid Dinh Thuy Yen

**Rhyncholaeliocattleya Dinh Thuy Yen** <small>Jones & Scully, 1974</small> is a hybrid Orchid of the family Orchidaceae, registered by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1974 to honor the Vietnamese philanthropist Thuy Yen Dinh. The creation of this orchid contributed to the international visibility of Vietnam and helped stimulate tourism in the region.

## Name origin

The hybrid was dedicated to Thuy Yen Dinh (1934–2004), a prominent figure in the political and philanthropic history of South Vietnam. Born in Rạch Giá into a noble family, she was among the first women in the world to hold high political office. She served as a member of the National Assembly of South Vietnam from 1959 to 1963. She was also a benefactor of public infrastructure projects, including the Vì Dân Hospital (now Thong Nhat Hospital) and the Ngô Sĩ Liên School in Sơn Hòa, which she funded personally. Revered by the people, she remains a respected figure among the Vietnamese diaspora, also known as "Tư Nết" and by her French name "Annette" Tran Thien.

## Taxonomy

- **Current RHS name**: _Rhyncholaeliocattleya Dinh Thuy Yen_
- **Registered name**: _Brassolaeliocattleya Dinh Thuy Yen_ (RHS 1974)
- **Registrant and hybridizer**: Jones & Scully
- **Year of registration**: 1974
- **Genus**: _Rhyncholaeliocattleya_
- **Grex**: Dinh Thuy Yen

## Genetic ancestry

- **Seed parentage**:
    - _Cattleya Derna_
    - _Cattleya Luminosa_ (1901)
- **Pollen parentage**:
    - _Rhyncholaeliocattleya Jewel Higdon_
    - _Rhyncholaeliocattleya Mellowglow_

## Genetic composition

The following genetic breakdown lists the principal ancestral species by estimated percentage:
- _Cattleya dowiana_ – 49.22% (subgenus Cattleya, section Cattleya)
- _Cattleya tenebrosa_ – 15.63% (subgenus Crispae, section Crispae, series Cattleyodes)
- _Cattleya bicolor_ – 5.86% (subgenus Intermediae)
- _Rhyncholaelia digbyana_ – 5.47%
- _Cattleya cinnabarina_ – 4.30%
- _Cattleya wallisii_ – 3.91%
- _Cattleya mossiae_ – 3.13%
- _Cattleya xanthina_ – 1.95%
- _Cattleya warscewiczii_ – 1.95%
- _Cattleya schroederae_ – 1.56%
- _Cattleya dowiana var. aurea_ – 1.56%
- _Cattleya harpophylla_ – 0.78%
- _Cattleya intermedia_ – 0.78%
- _Cattleya crispata_ – 0.78%

## Botanical description

_Rhyncholaeliocattleya Dinh Thuy Yen_ is a medium-sized hybrid orchid known for its showy, fragrant, and long-lasting flowers. The blossoms, typically 6 to 8 cm in diameter, display vibrant hues ranging from pink to orange, with a richly colored, ruffled labellum. Blooming generally occurs in summer or autumn.

## Cultivation

- **Light**: Bright but filtered light; best suited to well-lit greenhouses.
- **Temperature**: Warm-temperate; 15 °C (night) to 25 °C (day).
- **Medium**: Coarse pine bark, perlite, charcoal.
- **Watering**: Regular during active growth; reduced during dormancy.
- **Fertilization**: Balanced fertilizer every two weeks during growing season.

## Medicinal use

Since antiquity, the roots of some orchids have been cooked, dried, and ground to make _salep_, a starchy, protein-rich flour believed to have medicinal properties. In traditional medicine, the "Lady’s Slipper" (_Cypripedium calceolus_) was believed to have antispasmodic properties. However, modern studies indicate that true therapeutic effects of the _Orchidaceae_ family are limited or nonexistent. Additionally, due to their endangered status, international regulations strictly prohibit the collection of wild orchids.

## Bibliography

- Suozzi, Roberto Michele. _Le piante medicinali_. Newton & Compton, Rome, 1994. p. 60.

## Other websites

- _Plants of the World Online_. "Phalaenopsis sanderiana". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:650590-1
- _Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia_. "Phalaenopsis sanderiana". http://www.orchidspecies.com/phalsanderiae.htm
- OrchidRoots - Rlc. Dinh Thuy Yen
- RHS Details - Rhyncholaeliocattleya Dinh Thuy Yen