"Uncle Derek Says"

xCanmea 'Galaxy' / xCanmea 'Smokey'

Derek Butcher "What do we really know about these two bromeliads?
  1. No reference in Padilla's Checklist 1979

  2. First reference is in Brian Smith's Manuscript of Bromeliad Hybrids July 1984.
    'SMOKEY' = C. fosterianum x Aechmea chantinii by DeLeon.

  3. BSI Journal 1990 page 54. Herb. Plever refers to
    'GALAXY' = C. fosterianum x Aechmea fasciata by Bullis.

  4. BSI Journal 1992 page 65. Tom Lineham refers to
    'GALAXY' = C. fosterianum x Aechmea chantinii by Bullis.

  5. BSI Preliminary CheckList by Don Beadle page 36
    'SMOKEY' = C. fosterianum x Aechmea chantinii by DeLeon.

  6. Baensch in Blooming Bromeliads page 98 says
    'SMOKEY' = Aechmea fasciata x C. fosterianum by Bullis.
    'GALAXY' is a cv. of 'SMOKEY'.

  7. BSI Bromeliad Cultivar Registry (BCR) 1998 by Don Beadle, page 77
    'SMOKEY' = C. fosterianum x Aechmea chantinii by DeLeon.
    'GALAXY' is a cv. of 'SMOKEY' selected byBullis from tissue culture.
Confused? I am! Questions I have are:
  1. How can you tell a 'GALAXY' from a 'SMOKEY' ?
  2. What is their relationship ?
  3. What are the correct parents ?
  4. Who was Mother ?
  5. Who was the hybridist ?
We have photos of an alleged 'Galaxy' but alas no photo of 'Smokey'. If you have a photo of 'Smokey' or any other information on this mystery please share it with us so we can all decide."

xCanmea 'Galaxy'
xCanmea 'Galaxy
xCanmea 'Galaxy' flower
xCanmea 'Galaxy
flower
Click on the thumbnails to view the pictures.
Send your comments and opinions to UncleDerekSays@fcbs.org
Your comments will be added to this page.

Comments from Jay Thurrott:
"Greetings from Port Orange, Fl.!
Enjoy your articles on the sometimes confusing bromeliad names. It's reassuring to hear that I'm not the only one confused by the names provided with some of these plants. Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth concerning xCanmea 'Galaxy' - The pictures accompanying your article look very much like the plant that I've had for years labeled 'Galaxy' but my plants have very little green on them. Instead they have a heavy coating of silvery scales on the outside(underside) and often have wide dark bands across the foliage. Do you suppose this makes them 'Smoky'?"
Jay T.
Michael Andreas responds:
The descriptions in the latest Cultivar Registry describes 'Smokey' as "tall w/10-12 leaves in clear heavily scurfed silvery-grey - NO PROMINENT MARKINGS" the description for 'Galaxy' states "Midway between parents in matte-bluish-green with BROWN MOTTLING" Perhaps yours is the real 'Galaxy' and ours is the real 'Smokey'
Uncle Derek Says Index

Photo Credits:
xCanmea 'Galaxy - Michael Andreas
xCanmea 'Galaxy flower - Michael Andreas

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