32 



ORCHIDS FOR EVERYONE 



BRASSO-L^LIA 



Considerable variation is found in the form as well as in the 

 colouring of the flowers of the hybrids composing this family. In 

 B.-L. Helen the flowers are of large size and approximate closely 

 to those of a Brasso-cattleya derived from B. Digbyana and a 

 labiate Cattleya, although the sepals and petals lack the breadth of 

 the finer Brasso-cattleyas. On the other hand there is B.-l. 

 Gratrixje, a beautiful yellowish hybrid that has a prettily fringed 

 lip, is of medium size, and has the general shape of a Lselia. In 

 the Brasso-laelias the large lipped Brassavola Digbyana has not 

 been so closely adhered to as a pollen parent as it has been in the 

 case of the splendid Brasso-cattleyas ; but no matter which species 

 is used as a pollen parent it is not likely the Brasso-lcelias will ever 

 become so generally attractive or popular as the Brasso-cattleyas. 



Here again it must be remembered that the hybrids selected 

 are not at present plentiful in such a degree as to permit of their 

 sale at low prices, but the question of price will adjust itself in a 

 few years owing to the vast number of crosses that have been made 

 and the enormous quantities of Brasso-laslia seedlings there are in 

 Orchid collections. But it also follows that exceptionally fine 

 varieties of the hybrids will always realise high prices, just as fine 

 forms of a species will. 



The best of the Brasso-laelias are B.-L. Clio [B. glauca x 

 L, dnnabarina), an orange-shaded flower ; B.-L. Gratrixije 

 {B. Digbyana x L. dnnabarina)^ a yellow hybrid that has shown 

 a great deal of variation in size and in depth of colouring ; B.-L. 

 Helen [B. Digbyana x L. tenebrosa), a large flowered hybrid with 

 a broad, rounded, and fringed lip ; B.-L. Veitchii [B. Digbyana 

 X L. purpuratd)^ one of the best, with light purple colouring ; 

 B.-L. Gipsy [B.-l. Helen x Lcelia cinnabrosa), is a secondary hybrid 



