(crystallinum x magnificum) x nigrolaminum "Gigi"

Let's start with the seed parent, crystallinum x magnificum, which is more famous these days for being the seed parent to 'Amy' than for existing in its own right. Fair enough, it's a classic for a reason, combining the venation of both species with the upright habit of the magnificum side. Mine came as a gift-cutting from a friend years ago, and it's still sitting on the bench earning its keep, proving that sometimes the workhorse plant is more valuable for what it produces than what it is.

The pollen parent is where things get interesting. Nigrolaminum "Gigi" is an undescribed species that came into trade through Ecuadorian nurseries, sometimes floated as sp. nov. Darien, which would suggest a Darien gap origin, but honestly I have no idea where it actually comes from in the wild. What I do know is that it emerges black to maroon depending on ambient temps, and holds deep red, blood-filled veins on the underside of the leaf when temps stay moderate. It's also proven surprisingly receptive and promiscuous among section cardiolonchium species, despite that waxy texture and odd leaf shape that doesn't seem like it should cross with much of anything. I love this plant, and I wanted to see what happens when you put its dark, vein-heavy genetics behind a proven, widely distributed hybrid instead of a flashier one. This is that answer, still working itself out.