ODONTOGLOSSUM (HYBRIDUM) WILCKEANUM ezss. ¢ 
VAR. LEROYANUM ogg. 
ODONTOGLOssUM (hybridum) WILCKEANUM. A natural hybrid, derived from Odontoglossum crispum, Lindl. and O. luteo-purpureum, Lindl., 
occasionally found where the two species grow together. It is quite intermediate in character, but sometimes the characters of one parent predominate, some- 
times those of the other, so that when a series of individuals are examined a considerable amount of variation is observed, which renders it difficult to assign 
any very definite characters to the hybrid. } 
ODONTOGLOssUM WILCKEANUM, Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron., Mar. 6, 1880, p. 298 ; id, May 17, 1884, p. 640, fig. 122 ; id., Aug. 15, 1885, p. 205, fig. 43; 
id., Jan. 16, 1886, p. 76, fig. 14; Warn. Sel. Orch., ser. 3, t. 23 ; Veitch Man. Orch. PL, pt. 1, p. 78, with fig. 
ODONTOGLOsSSUM SHUTTLEWORTHI, Hort.; Gard. Chron., Apr. 12, 1884, p. 490. 
Var. LEROYANUM. A garden hybrid raised from Odontoglossum crispum fertilised with the pollen of O. luteo-purpureum. The pseudobulbs are rather 
rounder than in O. crispum, in which respect they approach nearer O. luteo-purpureum, while the habit and inflorescence also point in the same direction. The 
ground colour of the flower is nearly white, but all the segments are heavily marked with reddish-brown. The crest is brown and yellow. The shape of the 
segments, including the toothed petals, also that of the lip, including the crest, are all strongly marked with the character of the pollen-parent. 
VAR. LEROYANUM, Rolfe in Reichenbachia, ser. 2, vol. I, p. 47. 
ODONTOGLOssUM (hybridum) LEROYANUM, Castle in Gard. Chron., June 7, 1890, p. 704 ; Orchidophile, 1891, p. 112, cum ic. 
The beautiful variety here figured is a garden hybrid, raised in the collection of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, at Armainvilliers, near Paris. 
It is the first artificially raised hybrid Odontoglossum which has reached the flowering stage, and thus possesses a special interest, for notwithstanding 
the large number of undoubted natural hybrids which have flowered in European collections, but little success had attended the efforts of those who had 
previously attempted to raise them by artificial crossing. It flowered for the first time in May, 1890, about three years and a half after the seed was sown. 
Another point of interest about it is that it proves what has long been believed to be the parentage of O. Wilckeanum—a deduction based upon examination 
of the characters of the plant itself and its supposed parents. The identity of O, Leroyanum with O. Wilckeanum has been disputed, but rather from a florist’s 
than a botanist’s standpoint. Certain it is, however, that it differs less from certain forms of O, Wilckeanum than do the extreme forms of that natural hybrid 
from each other, and the only possible course is to make O, Leroyanum a variety of the same. A list of varieties of O. Wilckeanum is given at page 47 of this 
volume, from which it will be seen that this hybrid exhibits a wide range of variation ; as, indeed, may be said of most others which have been raised several 
times over. In such cases I think all should be brought under the same name, distinguishing any of the more marked forms with distinctive varietal names. 
R.A. Rolfe. 
. Our analytical drawings represent the lip and column, seen from front and side. 
For the subject of our illustration we are indebted to M. Leroy, head gardener to Baron Edmond de Rothschild, 
Armainvilliers, near Paris, after whom it is named by the special wish of the Baron. 
It is a garden hybrid, the result of a cross between Odontoglossum crispum and O, luteo-purpureum, the former 
being the seed parent. : 
The flowers, which combine in a very striking manner the character of both parents, are about 3% inches across. 
The petals are somewhat broader than the sepals, which have a ground colour best described as of a pale straw 
tint, becoming more strongly developed towards the tips. Three broad transverse bars of a bright red are distributed on 
each equally, but those upon the upper sepal appear to be much more clearly defined. 
The petals are nearly white, and have a large red blotch in the centre and two smaller blotches at the side nearest 
the base, which is also blotched or striped. The lip resembles that of Odontoglossum luteo-purpureum. 
We heartily congratulate M. Leroy and his able assistant in charge of the Orchid department at Armaiivilliers, 
M. Jacob, on the production of this most interesting hybrid, which should prove encouraging to those amateurs who 
devote their attention to that most fascinating work—the hybridisation of orchids. Hitherto failure has been the rule 
with Odontoglossums—not that the section has been neglected, but good results have not followed the many efforts made. 
In this case, however, the success is very marked, only a little over three years having elapsed from the sowing of the 
seed to the flowering of the plant, the flower spike being produced from the second bulb. A very remarkable fact, and 
well worthy of note, connected with the growth of the plants is communicated to us by the raiser. For the first 
eighteen months the young plants resembled Zygopetalum rather than Odontoglossum. The first growths, as they 
advanced in size continued making new leaves, but without forming a bulb. After a while, however, the leaves of the 
base dropped off, showing an imperfect bulb bearing a leaf and a young growth, which became in course of time the 
normal bulb, and produced the flower spike. 
About a dozen plants were raised, and a few perished as time rolled on, and we look forward with great interest to 
the flowering of another plant. This will no doubt vary in its colouring from the first, as, of course, there are never 
two hybrid orchids exactly alike. We have seen at Armainvilliers several other Odontoglossum crosses, such as seedlings 
between Odontoglossum Rossi and O. Cervantesi, and Messrs. Leroy and Jacob have, indeed, displayed great skill and 
have given much thought to the subject. In the raising of Odontoglossums, France certainly is ahead of England. M. 
Bleu raised his beautiful Miltoniopsis (Odontoglossum) Bleui; and: in the gardens of M. Delahogue-Moreau, Paris, we 
have lately seen fine plants, not yet flowered, raised between Odontoglossum maculatum and Ruckerianum, and although 
no Continental grower could ever reach the excellence of British orchid cultivation, or approach our wonderfully hardy 
culture, owing principally to climatic circumstances, we have been beaten by our Paris friends in the raising of Odonto- 
glossum hybrids. It may be that the brighter Continental air ripens the seed better; but this is hardly an excuse for us 
—we could place our seed pods near the glass in a house with a southern aspect, and so get well developed seeds. 
Our plate was taken from a plant in the collection of Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Armainvilliers, near Paris, 
ie. 
