I've built up the majority of my collection through trades, so I'll try to answer your questions. I love to trade and have had great, good, and (really) bad experiences.

What makes a trade most enjoyable to you?
-Getting healthy plants/seeds/cuttings that look like they are from well cared for plants and being able to provide someone exactly the same. To have both parties excited about the trade is the best part.

Do you like a lot of conversation with your trade partner?
-I do, as I like to discuss things, share advice etc. but totally not necessary. Some people are straight and to the point and I don't mind that either, but I tend to be wordy.

Do you like it to go quickly and efficiently?
-Absolutely, it's important to me that you get your plants asap and in good condition. I hope others feel the same.

Would you prefer them to designate a short list of easily cut plants?
-Helpful for sure!

Or would you rather comb through their collection yourself, possibly selecting smaller cuttings of plants you're more interested in?
-Preferable, but give me some direction at least, as in what's ready to go now, what I'd have to wait for etc.

Do you like small simple trades of 3-7 plants or do you prefer 8-12 plants to get the most out of shipping expenses?
-Doesn't matter at all to me. I'll trade one special plant for one special plant if it's what you/I want.

Do you prefer a big bare cutting or a small rooted plant? Or maybe you simply prefer them to offer something similar to what you can offer yourself.
-I'd prefer it to be rooted, but I will root it myself instead of asking you to do it for me. I don't mind and realize most people don't already have rooted cuttings ready to go for trades.

How do you feel about trading with people who are offering something other than Hoyas? Be it supplies, other types of plants, or simply their undying gratitude? ;)
-I'll trade for whatever I need or want, doesn't have to be plant for plant. I use a lot of supplies! I also give away a lot when I can. Most people are grateful and want to offer something in return but maybe don't have anything because they're just starting out. I love to help new people and will absolutely send them something.

How do you feel about your trade partners including surprise goodies, such as another plant they feel you might like, or an awesome snail shell hanger?
-Love it! Most of the time. I've gotten some really cool freebies that ended up doing better than the plant I originally traded for. This is how I got most of my Hoyas actually! I only say most of the time, as I grow in an apartment and people who think they're being nice by sending something large end up sending me something I have to eventually give away.

How long is "too long" of a delay from the time you send your plants until the time they send theirs?
-Anything longer than a week, unless you let me know about the delay and why. Staying in communication if there's issues is key to it not being a problem. I prefer to sort out when we're sending things before hand that way I know I'll be home to collect the package, and they will be too.

Do you care what mode of shipping they use, or how they pack the plants?
-Absolutely. Flat rate USPS 2-3 days is standard. There's no reason for you to go cheaper at the expense of the health of the plants unless it's something that will be fine with a longer wait. If there is a UPS or FedEx etc. option that's also 2-3 days, I'd be ok with that too. Pack it well! It's so important. The worst thing is to see perfectly healthy plants broken because you couldn't take the extra time to pack it well. Newspaper works great and isn't expensive. I will send your stuff USPS 2-3 days packed as well as I possibly can. I expect the same from whomever I trade with.

Do you enjoy a little note or card with the plants? Are you surprised when there isn't one?
-Yes! It's always nice, but I'm always surprised when people are thoughtful like that and there is one. I started doing this myself as I know I enjoy it when other people put in a short (or sometimes long) note.

How small is "too small"?
-No such thing, unless it's not the size you said it was.

How do you react when the plant you receive is definitely not the plant you thought they were sending?
-I hope that it was a mistake on their end. I ask for pictures before hand though. I've had plants in bad condition sent to me, and I use it as a little bit of my screening process now if I'm unsure about the trade/trader. I will be polite about it however, as long as we can figure out a way to rectify the problem.

How would you prefer trade partners protect you against any pests or disease?
-Be a good grower. Inspect your plants regularly, know about pesticides (use and rotate them as needed), and reinspect the plant before you send it to me. Everyone gets pests from time to time. This is totally fine as long as you can get rid of them effectively.

How much information do you like them to supply about their plants? The name? Origin? Academic questions about its identity? Growing/Rooting advice?
-As much as possible. I always to the same, unless I know you already know what you are doing!

How do you feel about NOIDs in trades?
-Totally fine. If I like it, I don't need it to have a name. I just traded a couple of named cacti to someone for a bunch of noids that I just happened to really like.

What is the worst trade experience you've had?
-The worst would be a tie between the person who sent me clearly already dying plants in return for my healthy ones, and the person who accepted something valuable from me and then didn't send their end of the trade in return or answer any pm's or emails. Never heard from them again. This is why I use a screening process now before I trade with a stranger.

What is the nicest thing that's happened during a trade?
-I ended up friends with the person. We communicate regularly, and send plants to each other at random if it's something we know the other will like. I just got a packet of Drosera seeds in the mail last week in a nice card just saying hello and thought you might like these. No obligations to keep anything sent.

Other thoughts or advice for future traders?
-Communicate!!! Most people will be patient and forgiving no matter what happens on your end of the trade if you talk to them. If something happens and you can't provide what you said, say so and offer the person some other options. I tried to trade with someone who found mites on their plant and couldn't trade last minute. We figured something else out that worked for both of us and have traded again since then. When your package arrives, let the sender know and say "thank you!" Doesn't have to be immediately, but when you get a chance. Just follow the common sense rules of being polite and treating others how you'd want to be treated.

Do you like a lot of conversation with your trade partner?
Do you like it to go quickly and efficiently?
(Don't have to be a lot of conversation but sometimes I feel like you should sort of get to know the person some thru emails (simply because I've gotten burned in some trades with people I had no contact with before))

Would you prefer them to designate a short list of easily cut plants?

Or would you rather comb through their collection yourself, possibly selecting smaller cuttings of plants you're more interested in?( I like them to tell me what they have available and then I will decide from their list.)

Do you like small simple trades of 3-7 plants or do you prefer 8-12 plants to get the most out of shipping expenses?) Definitely get the most out of shipping expenses.)

Do you prefer a big bare cutting or a small rooted plant? Or maybe you simply prefer them to offer something similar to what you can offer yourself.( I go for the rooted plant every time)

How do you feel about trading with people who are offering something other than Hoyas? Be it supplies, other types of plants, or simply their undying gratitude? ;) ((downsizing my plants so would only want hoyas))

How do you feel about your trade partners including surprise goodies, such as another plant they feel you might like, or an awesome snail shell hanger?(( Great))

How long is "too long" of a delay from the time you send your plants until the time they send theirs? no more than ((2 weeks))

Do you care what mode of shipping they use, or how they pack the plants? ((just so they get it to me without messing up the plant))

Do you enjoy a little note or card with the plants? Are you surprised when there isn't one?(( Not really))

How small is "too small"? ((received a tiny tip cutting one time, now that was too small.))

How do you react when the plant you receive is definitely not the plant you thought they were sending?(( Not happy but if it is a hoya I don't have, then I don't care.))

How would you prefer trade partners protect you against any pests or disease?(( check their cuttings or plants before sending but sometimes things can't be helped.))

How much information do you like them to supply about their plants? The name? Origin? Academic questions about its identity? Growing/Rooting advice? ((Names (as well as they know it) not worried about soil etc because I'm going to do my own thing.))

How do you feel about NOIDs in trades?(( LOVE to have NOIDS especially carnosa crosses))

What is the worst trade experience you've had?((wasn't a hoya trade))

What is the nicest thing that's happened during a trade?

Other thoughts or advice for future traders?

((I have been more satisfied with plants or cuttings (most of the time) received by home growers than from some of the online vendors.))
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well i havent done much trading, i did just get some beautiful cuttings today of lacunosa, wayetti and plain old carnosa (the one that i actually did not have and wanted!) but i can still try and answer the questions to what my personality is like and how i feel i would want it to be...

What makes a trade most enjoyable to you?

i know that this was a lead in question but i still want to answer it, i enjoy being able to grow a plant from a tiny cutting and be able to think of that person every time i look at it. plants have always been very sentimental to me because both my mom and grandma garden and have house plants and we are always swapping cuttings or chunks or whole plants. having that connection is my favorite part.

Do you like a lot of conversation with your trade partner?

yes i like a lot of conversation, its not a necesity but like i said i like to feel a connection. i like to be able to remember that someone told me that their kid was graduating or something, and being able to look at a plant and remember that i wanted to send them an email and see how things were going.

Do you like it to go quickly and efficiently?

yes i also like it to go quickly and efficiently, expecially since i know i get so excited i can hardly wait and it drives me crazy till i get what im waiting for, so i try and picture everyone else being the same way.

Would you prefer them to designate a short list of easily cut plants?

because im a beginner with hoyas, i like to be able to tell someone kind of what im looking for and have them tell me what they have that will agree with me...

Or would you rather comb through their collection yourself, possibly selecting smaller cuttings of plants you're more interested in?

thats always fun too but i still need help because im so new...

Do you like small simple trades of 3-7 plants or do you prefer 8-12 plants to get the most out of shipping expenses?

probably the most out of shipping expenses, but it all depends, i might be trading one plant for another or one item for another and thats all we are interested in...

Do you prefer a big bare cutting or a small rooted plant? Or maybe you simply prefer them to offer something similar to what you can offer yourself.

honestly i dont prefer one over the other, im working on getting rooting down now but you know the saying beggars cant be choosers??? im kind of in that spot right now so im happy with anything anyone wants to share...

How do you feel about trading with people who are offering something other than Hoyas? Be it supplies, other types of plants, or simply their undying gratitude? ;)

HAHA if you have seen any of my other posts you know im in this boat right now... because of the fact that just a month ago i started collecting house plants again, now that we are in our own house and i wont ever have to move again (god forbid) im kinda stuck offering crocheted plant hangers, expecially since we dont really have the money even to offer shipping... so if it ever came to it where i had some cuttings or plants to share and someone else only had a smile to share i would help them out, cause i know what its like to wanna enjoy plants but not have the money to do so...

How do you feel about your trade partners including surprise goodies, such as another plant they feel you might like, or an awesome snail shell hanger?

is this a trick question? who wouldnt love extra goodies???

How long is "too long" of a delay from the time you send your plants until the time they send theirs?

probably a couple weeks, unless previously discussed.

Do you care what mode of shipping they use, or how they pack the plants?

nope, whatever is the cheapest

Do you enjoy a little note or card with the plants? Are you surprised when there isn't one?

sure i would enjoy one but i wouldnt be surprised if there wasnt one

How small is "too small"?

ummm i dont know... a leaf? lol

How do you react when the plant you receive is definitely not the plant you thought they were sending?

actually happened to me today, was supposed to get australis, lacunosa and pubicalyx cuttings from someone but when i opened the box i found cv. iris marie and dischidia geri... im guessing they were sending them out to someone else and accidently switched our boxes? not upset or anything, just surprised...

How would you prefer trade partners protect you against any pests or disease?

i dont know, if someone is really taking care of their plants before trading with them i figure there should be none or very little amount of pests or disease, i could take care of it myself when it got here

How much information do you like them to supply about their plants? The name? Origin? Academic questions about its identity? Growing/Rooting advice?

probably just basic info, and rooting advise... and anything it really seemed to love that you were doing

How do you feel about NOIDs in trades?

i have no idea what NOIDs is.... ???

What is the worst trade experience you've had?

none so far

What is the nicest thing that's happened during a trade?

i am expecting a box in the next few days that has a cutting of wayetti in it along with surprise other houseplants... i was told that along with sending the cutting they had taken cuttings of some other house plants of theirs to send, but they are surprises so ill find out when i get the box... all i can say is that im so excited and that was such a sweet thing to do.

Other thoughts or advice for future traders?

be curtious and polite no matter what, because the people you trade with could become life long friends.

Do you like a lot of conversation with your trade partner?
Do you like it to go quickly and efficiently?

I tend to prefer it be efficient. I'm not home a lot, and I tend to not be wordy in email.

Would you prefer them to designate a short list of easily cut plants?

Yes

Or would you rather comb through their collection yourself, possibly selecting smaller cuttings of plants you're more interested in?

No, let me know what you have that you are ok with sending.

Do you like small simple trades of 3-7 plants or do you prefer 8-12 plants to get the most out of shipping expenses?

Doesn't matter

Do you prefer a big bare cutting or a small rooted plant? Or maybe you simply prefer them to offer something similar to what you can offer yourself.

Doesnt matter

How do you feel about trading with people who are offering something other than Hoyas? Be it supplies, other types of plants, or simply their undying gratitude? ;)

That is fine with me, but I usually don't accept the other stuff. I only grow orchids and Hoyas, and I'm really really picky about the orchids I take in these days. So, if the other person doesn't have anything I'm looking for, I just send my stuff, and don't worry about it.

How do you feel about your trade partners including surprise goodies, such as another plant they feel you might like, or an awesome snail shell hanger?

I would rather they wouldn't see last explanation.

How long is "too long" of a delay from the time you send your plants until the time they send theirs?

As long as they let me know, no problem. Again since I'm not home much, I tell them when I expect to be able to send. Sometimes it might be a week or two, but I let them know ahead of time.

Do you care what mode of shipping they use, or how they pack the plants?

Within reason. Don't send it so it spends two weeks in the mail.

Do you enjoy a little note or card with the plants? Are you surprised when there isn't one?

Yes, it is nice when they include a note, but i'm not surprised if there isn't one. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't depends on how much info was exchanged during email.

How small is "too small"?

As long as it is growable, I'm ok with it. I'm more worried that the plant they received from me are ok in size.

How do you react when the plant you receive is definitely not the plant you thought they were sending?

Hasn't happened deliberately that I know of. I have received a couple that were labeled incorrectly, but I assume that was a mistake. NBD,

How would you prefer trade partners protect you against any pests or disease?

It is nice if they do. And I warn the people I send to that I grow outside, so the possibility of a pest is there. For cuttings, I do give them a swoosh through soapy water first, hopefully cutting down the chances of a pest.

How much information do you like them to supply about their plants? The name? Origin? Academic questions about its identity? Growing/Rooting advice?

Accurate name is good for me. I like to do the research myself, it helps me get to know the plant.

How do you feel about NOIDs in trades?

Would prefer not to at this point. But it isn't a dealbreaker.

What is the worst trade experience you've had?

Haven't had a bad one.

What is the nicest thing that's happened during a trade?

Other thoughts or advice for future traders?

Renee

I just have to say that I wasn't really expecting everyone to go through and answer my post like a survey, but I just fell in love with these responses! You have such interesting observations to make about each issue. Trading is an interesting sort of thing, isn't it? It seems straightforward, but it ends up being like a weekend trip with an acquaintance. Full of surprises and the realization that you can't predict anything, even yourself.

Do you like a lot of conversation with your trade partner?
Haha. Yeah, usually I do. I really enjoy getting to know the other person and most everyone knows something I don't about Hoyas. Also, a lot of the time, it's during these conversations, that I first even realize they have been paying attention to the things I post. I also like having the opportunity to let members know how I feel about them and their contributions/plants. Sometimes people are really surprising - they come across one way in the forum and are completely different via email. I could probably talk to a Hoya amigo all day without running out of things to say. On the other hand, I can get behind in email and other forms of correspondence, and then I feel bad that I'm letting them down. I am especially bad about calling people back. I almost have to write out a calendar and remind myself do it. I get into different moods, too. Sometimes I spend page upon page upon page answering a new grower's questions. And other times I am overburdened at work and feel like: LMGTFY. Okay, not that mean, but you know lol. You can tell the difference between someone who is having trouble knowing what source to believe and would like your personal experiences and someone who is just being lazy.

Do you like it to go quickly and efficiently?
It is really nice when it does. Some people, they can email you, and the next day both packages are in the mail, and that is totally sweet! On the other hand, when that happens, it is almost always the other person's organizational skills to credit. I can be lightning fast at putting packages together and shipping them, but I never have a trade list ready. On the other hand, I do not at all mind a trade that drags out for a month. Usually, by the time it's all worked out, it's a nice big trade and you are well on your way toward lining up the next one. That's great, too! So, I guess I like a bit of both. :)

Would you prefer them to designate a short list of easily cut plants? Or would you rather comb through their collection yourself, possibly selecting smaller cuttings of plants you're more interested in?
Nah, I don't care. I'm more than happy to comb through someone else's collection list or choose from a small selection. But I don't want to be presumptive. I would just most like to do whatever will cause them least inconvenience. I would like to try my hand at being one of those organized people, though. Coming soon... in the trade forum... me, with my act together!

Do you like small simple trades of 3-7 plants or do you prefer 8-12 plants to get the most out of shipping expenses?
Of course the big trades are totally exciting, but sometimes the trades I am most excited about have only a few plants, which I am psyched for. I am expecting one of those now. :)

Do you prefer a big bare cutting or a small rooted plant? Or maybe you simply prefer them to offer something similar to what you can offer yourself.
Whatever's clever. I do feel better overall, if what I receive is commensurate with what I sent. I feel terrible when I can only send a limited 3 nodes and I get a huge swathe in return. Terrible, but grateful and happy. It's very confusing.

How do you feel about trading with people who are offering something other than Hoyas? Be it supplies, other types of plants, or simply their undying gratitude? ;)
I've gone for this before. It's definitely not my favorite type of trade. But sometimes it's very useful to get something you might have never purchased straight out. It can send you off in interesting directions. I think with newcomers, especially, you shouldn't expect the trades to be even. It's always worth it, though, if they continue to post here. Especially pictures of how the cuttings are doing. I LOVE that!

How do you feel about your trade partners including surprise goodies, such as another plant they feel you might like, or an awesome snail shell hanger?
Some people are so nice! I wish I had a better idea of what would please people and what wouldn't, because I'd be happy to throw this or that in, but I don't want to be a hassle. I know it's hard for us plant people to throw a living thing away.

How long is "too long" of a delay from the time you send your plants until the time they send theirs?
I don't need them to send the package the same day as me. I like to get mine in the mail before I get sidetracked, but everyone has their own schedule to deal with and that's no big deal. But I like it to be clear when they are shipping, and for them to stick to it. If they say they are going to ship out the next day, and they ship out a week later, I might not be there to receive it promptly. It also annoys me when the reasons for surprise delays are... dumb. I go well out of my way to get packages in the mail, and there is a certain amount of disruption to my worklife. So, it's frustrating when it's clearly "I'll get to it when I get to it" for someone else.

Do you care what mode of shipping they use, or how they pack the plants?
As someone else said, if it gets to me safe, I don't care what they do. Sometimes people do things I would never consider and I learn a new trick. I generally find packaging cute. You can't interpret it like tea leaves, but it always feels like you're seeing a bit of their personality in there.

Do you enjoy a little note or card with the plants? Are you surprised when there isn't one?
I'm never surprised when there isn't one, but it's so cute when people do this. I mostly just included this question because I wanted to say that. :P

How small is "too small"?
Yeah, survivability is really the right way to answer this question. I have no problem with small one node cuttings. What I really like is when people specify at the time of the trade exactly what the cutting will be like, if it's going to be under 3 nodes, or sparsely leafed. When they do this, I know that I am free to offer cuttings that might be a little smaller, but of more interesting species. And those can be some fun trades. Hopefully, though, the person knows the plant they are sending well, because some plants do great with 1 node cuttings and other plants travel so poorly this would be ridiculous. Rooting small cuttings is a great way to offset size, because I've received more than one tiny rooted cutting that traveled beautifully and was very exciting.

How do you react when the plant you receive is definitely not the plant you thought they were sending?
Well, I know I've been guilty of this myself, when I was very new and didn't realize I had received the plant mislabeled. It still pains me, though, and I bought the actual plant just so I could redeem myself LOL. So, I am not going to hold it against anyone else if they do it. I am sure there are people out there who are careless or malevolent, but I have not had the misfortune of trading with them.

How would you prefer trade partners protect you against any pests or disease?
I treat all new cuttings and plants as though they are potential carriers, treat them, and keep them in a specific room for a while. I have seen pests appear on my plants like a magic trick, months and months after a new introduction was made, or just... with no explanation whatsoever. In my personal opinion, trading plants is like engaging in any pleasurable activity. There is a certain amount of risk entailed, and I can accept that. I think we're all well intentioned, so there's no point in making someone feel like they just ran over your dog, if you do think they passed something onto you. I guess I'm saying I don't really have any expectations. I consider it up to me to protect myself.

How much information do you like them to supply about their plants? The name? Origin? Academic questions about its identity? Growing/Rooting advice?
I only expect them to tell me how they have it identified in their collection, including if they feel the identity might be questionable. It's a bonus if they volunteer where it came from, because sometimes that information is valuable.

How do you feel about NOIDs in trades?
I don't mind NOIDs at all. I actually think a few NOIDs make a collection more interesting. And it reminds me that many of the plants I have with actual names are currently in dispute. And others will become disputed in the future.

What is the worst trade experience you've had?
I haven't really been though anything too bad. Just some minor annoyances. And never with Hoya people, isn't that funny?

What is the nicest thing that's happened during a trade?
Oh man, I have received a lot of plants that I just fell in love with, and at the time that I was selecting them I had no idea how nice they were. (Like pallida or limoniaca) Or plants I never thought I would lay hands on that someone just casually plunked down on the table. (Like a Dischidia I had just tried to buy and found unavailable.) Or amazing surprise additions that just tickled my fancy (Like Carnosa Lime Green, or UT-011 (amaaazing)). Or friendships with people that were way more interesting and knew way more than I had given them credit for. Or people who just sent me whole sets of plants in exchange for nothing! Out of the blue! Because I was feeling blue! Or people who set up trade after trade after trade until we were basically trading all the time. Or a trade across the border, with someone I never thought I'd be able to trade with, that went off without a hitch.

One of my favorite trade memories was this time a Hoya was included as a surprise, one that I had admired from its pictures in the forum, for as long as I had been here. I of course, had anticipated that it was a plant commonly requested, so I didn't bring it up. Not a peep! But I thought about it wistfully and wished I could ask about it. And so when I opened the box, and there it was, as though the person was a mind reader...

Well, I still feel like I am in the presence of a celebrity every time I see that plant. Little Angelina Hoya, just hanging out with the rest of my brood. Makes my day.

Other thoughts or advice for future traders?
If you can give a little bit more, but you don't have to, do it. Because they almost always will.

can someone please explain to me what a NOID is? what im guessing is... NO ID?

Yes, NOID = an unidentified plant

Because there is already a lot of debate about the correct name/identification for plants that are common to many collections (e.g. fitchii, subcalva) as well as plants that are commonly confused or may or may not be the same species (e.g. acuta/verticillata, polystachya/macrophylla), if you receive a cutting with no identification, or you lose the tag and cannot 100% say what it was, it becomes a NOID. In some cases, after it blooms, it can be identified, but more often, unless you can send a cutting and flower sample off to an expert, and talk them into identifying it for you, it just becomes a NOID forever.

Obviously, in cases like your recent trade, where you received a group of unlabeled publicalyxes, their names get shortened down to the one identity you are confident of: Hoya publicalyx. And then if it were me I would just keep the trader's name in my notes and label them according to their characteristics in my records (e.g. H. publicalyx (solid green)).

To add to it further, of course, there are many unidentified Hoyas that are being collected in their native countries, all the time. These are simply referred to as Hoya sp., and given identifying numbers so that we can keep track of what is what until they are identified or published. Although they are unidentified, they aren't NOID, really, because their identity is their number, for now.

Yeah, I know, that was probably a little overkill.

no not overkill at all, i love learning about new stuff and that was a great leason for me! lol i figure the publicalyx's that i dont know what they are arent going to be for trade in the future unless someone wants a NOID publicalyx. they will just be my special little unknowns...

I'm a bit confused. How can a plant be a NOID if it is a publicalyx?

Renee

it you dont know what kind of pubicalyx it is... such as pink silver, red buttons or black dragon

Amber, I'm sorry, I always thought a properly identified species is not a NOID. Although maybe I'm wrong.

If it is, then the vast majority of the plants you listed you received are NOIDs because they don't have cultivar names. And 75% of my collection is NOIDS.

Somehow I don't think SRQ and other suppliers consider their properly identifed species a NOID just because they don't have cultivar names.

Renee

In common practice, NOID is used to refer to a plant whose identity is entirely unknown. I wouldn't consider your publicalyxes NOIDs, because, as Renee points out, even though you don't know precisely which cultivars they are, you definitely know they are publicalyxes. (And someone could probably make a good guess about some of them, because they are a commonly collected.) So, there is less precision in their names than you could desire, but they still have better identification than most Hoyas.

In your defense, though, I would say that some people use NOID just the way you do as in a "carnosa NOID" or a "publicalyx NOID" very tongue in cheek, to indicate that they lost some of their original notes, even though they still generally know what it is. It's not correct to do so, it's just a way of goofing around and poking fun at yourself and the plant.

As we've seen, though, it's not a good idea to throw the term around unless it's clear what you mean, because it can raise suspicions about how reliable your identifications are, generally. (People get misidentified plants in sale and trade all the time so they are a bit edgy on this topic.) For example, a person might have an actual NOID, make a guess about what it is (e.g. pottsii) and thereafter call it a 'pottsii NOID' and you would have no way of knowing how solid their reasons for attaching the name was.

Obviously we know everything you know about your plant, because you've been sharing it all with us in these threads, so this is all just really an academic discussion about how one ought to say things to avoid confusion with someone who might be less in sync with you and your collection.

i definatly may be wrong, as you can see just a few post above i was asking what a noid was... that was just my guess, what would make sense to me. i imagine just H. pubicalyx is the original green one... and then you have the others which are pink sliver, red buttons... ect... im guessing a noid pubicalyx would be if you had a pubicalyx that was one of these but you didnt know which one? this is my guess, you will have to wait until someone else comes along and lets us know if im right or wrong. heres an example, i may not have picked up on everything but this is what im guessing is how it works... i just got three different rooted pubicalyxs, one was labeled pink silver, the other two were labeled as a plain green pubicalyx and a spotted pubicalyx. now the one i know is a pink silver but the other two i have no clue what kind they are, one could just be normal, and the other could be a pink silver, or the green one might be a pink slilver and just be young and not have any markings yet? who knows, i know i dont so i can not say they are anything other than a unknown pubicalyx, there for im guessing it would be refered to a NOID pubicalyx. i may be completely wrong, so im hoping if so someone corrects me so i know im wrong, i dont like to pass out false info.

thank you very much gg for clearing that up for me! im still learning so much and have a ton to learn!

Ah, I see.

It is correct to identify any of those plants as Hoya publicalyx. In fact, it would be most correct, to identify them as Hoya publicalyx (Merr.) as the publishing author is a part of its formal name. It's not misleading or incomplete at all - it's basically like saying you are a McMyne, without knowing you are Amber.

Hoyor has a long list of cultivars listed on her publicalyx page (here), so you can see how difficult it is to determine with authority which one the spotted publicalyx is. The person who sent the plants did exactly the correct thing, and you should simply follow their example in your records and in future trades and say that they are publicalyxes but you can't identify them further. I guess there isn't a "shorthand" way of saying that, but a separate acronym would be nice lol.

The green one, if it's really plain green, has been discussed at length here, last year. You can find the notes in this thread. Even though it doesn't have a name, it is sure to be one others request in trade. It's attractive and relatively unusual. With a species that has more than one subspecies, the first plant that receives the species name gets that same name as its subspecies name. (e.g. australis ssp. australis, heuschkeliana ssp. heuschkeliana). I have only heard of various publicalyx cultivars or collections, though, not subspecies, so I guess for now it's quite simple to label. There's no real reason to think that the plain green one is the original one, persay, (I have not read the publication, so I have no idea how it is described), although it does feel intuitive to think of it this way since it's so simple.

I just wanted to add one more note to this discussion (hope you're not sick of it yet!)

First, just to clarify, the term NOID is both factual and, somewhat derogatory. Even though, as you can see from above, most people still find enjoyment in them, they almost have a "lower class" because their identity has been lost and its such a hassle to determine that most people don't want to bother. NOIDs have lost all identity. I really wasn't clear enough in my original definition. If your plant's species name is known, it is not a NOID, even if you don't know all its details. It is also not a NOID if it is unidentified, but you can track it back to its collection (e.g. sp. East of Thailand SRBR-JSNwf SRQ 3159). So, although clearly you didn't mean any harm, it would be considered slightly offensive to refer to these plants you received as NOIDs because it would imply they were not really certain to be publicalyx.

Second, the vast majority of Hoyas in collection are either unidentified or beg further clarification. If they come from a source with a numbering system (e.g. Liddle, SRQ, Epiphytica, etc) that makes labeling them easy, but not all Hoyas are so convenient. So, some conventions for labeling such specimens have developed. And those are (1) avoid assigning a species name unless you are darn sure, and (2) keep track of as many details about the plant characteristics and origin as you can, and to include those in the label when helpful.

For example: Say you have 5 different plants you received labeled as acuta, none of them have collection numbers, but all of them have different flower colors and differentiable foliage. In this instance, you would do well to describe them each much in the way plants are described on Epiphytica (e.g. Hoya acuta, long narrow leaf, orange flower). Now, flower colors and leaf shape change depending on the growing conditions, but at least now you can distinguish among your plants and give other collectors a hint to their nature. I don't include the vendor/trader in my plant names, but I keep track of this information and this might be helpful to someone I was passing the plant on to, too.

So, if I received the trio of publicalyxes you describe, I would label them this way:

1. Hoya publicalyx Pink Silver
2. Hoya publicalyx (solid green leaf)
3. Hoya publicalyx (speckled leaf)

Over time you will see that more and more of your collection will have names like this. And that many of the plants most prized by collectors are ones with names like this. A classic example is the macrophylla known only to most of us as "Denise's macrophylla." You can see how even though it doesn't have any specific name, it is distinguishable from other collections of this species and a highly valued specimen (that doesn't grow fast enough to meet the demand). So, if it were in your collection you would want to label it in a way where people knew it was one of this line (e.g. macrophylla broad rounded leaf). This same logic applies to the green publicalyx, which doesn't have a cultivar name, but is a specific uncommon variety.

Anyway, you have a very enviable list of contributions to keep track of, with many plums I would have given my eye teeth to have in my starting lineup. Okay, well, I didn't know an australis from an Eriostemma at that point, so maybe not. :P