Kay Francis Photo Gallery: Bc. Algernon
Parentage: Bc. Albion × C. Barbara Dane (Kiesewetter, 1946)
Current Nomenclature: Rlc. Algernon
The first slide that we can attribute to Bc. Algernon shows a pot label that has tipped over and is hard to read, but apparently consistent with Blc. Algernon 'White Christmas'. Kay's notes show that she acquired this cultivar October 24, 1958 from the Westenbergers, and that it produced one "very good" flower on November 3 of that year (KF VII / A / 2 p. 28). The flower shows prominent red lines deep in the throat, surrounding the column. The second slide is clearly labeled Bc. Algernon 'White Splendor', a better-known cultivar that received an AM/AOS in December, 1959 (Fred A. Stewart, Inc., Hollywood monthly judging), and which lacks the prominent red lines in the throat. Kay's slide from November, 1965 is consistent with the award photo of 'White Spendor'. She acquired this cultivar apparently from the Westenbergers as well, December 29, 1959, one bulb (loc. cit.), just after it was awarded. So far, no published photos of either cultivar have been identified.
