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Breeding Reed-stem Epidendrums
I don't know how much interest there might be among the group in the topic of orchid breeding, but I ran across the article below, and found it's explanation of the dominance of reed-stem Epidendrum phenotype enlightening: http://www.bulbnrose.com/Heredity/H_ORCHID.HTM Nature vol 59, 1898 Curiosities of Orchid Breeding C. C. Hurst .... Generic Hybrids Of the 500 primary hybrids on record, about 100 are generic hybrids, i.e. the parents belonging to different genera. In this respect alone these hybrids are interesting, though no doubt the systematic botanist views them with mixed feelings. It is not so long since generic hybrids were looked upon as anomalies, some of the older naturalists even regarding them as impossible, and forthwith proceeded to beg the whole question by classing those genera which are fertile with one another as species of one. Orchid growers, at all events, have almost ceased to regard generic hybrids with curiosity, familiarity with them having bred a certain amount of indifference. A list of the generic hybrids on record up to the end of 1897, together with a diagram showing how twenty-six different genera have been linked together by artificial hybridisation, has been prepared by the writer and was published in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society (vol. xxi., April 1898), and to which those interested in the details of generic orchid hybrids may be referred. Generally speaking, primary generic hybrids follow the rule of specific hybrids in bearing the intermediate characters of their parents, with a narrow range of variation. But there are a few remarkable exceptions to this rule. (1) Epiphronitis x Veitchii, a hybrid out of Sophronitis grandiflora (Lindl.) by Epidendrum radicans (Pav.) (2) Epi-Cattleya x matutina, a hybrid out of Cattleya Bowringiana (Veitch) by Epidendrum radicans (Pav.) (3) Epi-Laelia x radico-purpurata, a hybrid out of Laelia purpurata (Lindl.) by Epidendrum radicans (Pav.) (4) Epi-Laelia x Charlesworthii, a hybrid out of Laelia cinnabarina (Lindl.) by Epidendrum radicans (Pav.) These four generic hybrids are very curious indeed, inasmuch as all agree in reproducing the generic characters only of the pollen parent Epidendrum, without the slightest trace of the peculiar structure of the seed-parents, Sophronitis, Cattleya and Laelia. Yet in minor characters, in colour, form and size, the four hybrids distinctly differ from one another and from their Epidendrum parent. A close examination reveals the fact that these minor differences correspond with the peculiar differences in the parentage, thus showing that the crosses have really been effected: yet as the same time it must be candidly admitted that did we not know the parentage, we could never have determined it, so overwhelming is the influence of the predominant partner Epidendrum radicans. It will, no doubt, be observed that E. radicans is the pollen parent in each of the above cases. Curiously enough, when this reed-like E. radicans is crossed with the pseudo-bulbous E. vitellinum (Lindl.), (female), a similar result is obtained, the offspring E. x radico-vitellinum being scarcely distinguishable from the reed-like E. radicans. Again, when the reed-like E. x O'Brienianum— itself a hybrid out of E. evictum (Hook. f.) by E. radicans— is crossed with the pseudo-bulbous E. vitellinum, (female), a similar result is obtained, the offspring being reed-like in habit as in the pollen parent. Yet when the reed-like E. radicans is crossed with other reed-like species of Epidendrum, and again when the pseudobulbous species of Epidendrum are crossed with species of Laelia, in every case normal hybrids are produced intermediate between their parents. Though we cannot pretend to unravel this tangled skein, yet, so far as experiments have been made, it seems quite clear that (1) the species of Cattleya, Laelia, Sophronitis, and the pseudo-bulbous species of Epidendrum, when intercrossed, produce normal hybrids intermediate in character. (2) The same result is obtained with the reed-like species of Epidendrum are united with one another. (3) But when the reed-like species of Epidendrum are united with the pseudo-bulbous species of Epidendrum, or with species of Cattleya, Laelia and Sophronitis, abnormal hybrids are produced, having the essential characters of the reed-like Epidendra. From these facts it might easily be argued that a reed-like Epidendrum was the ancestor not only of the pseudo-bulbous Epidendra, but also of the more highly specialised genera Cattleya, Laelia and Sophronitis. In that case the pseudo-bulbous Epidendra would form an interesting connecting link between the lowly reed-like Epidendra and the gorgeous aristocratic Cattleya and Laelia. .... |
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