THE ORCHID REVIEW. 45. 
MEXICAN HYBRID LALIAS. 
THE Mexican Lelias, which brighten up our Orchid houses so effectually 
during the autumn and winter months, have during the last few years. 
received some notable additions, whose relation to older forms has in some 
cases been the subject of dispute. That some were of hybrid origin has. 
long been supposed, though the possibility of their being distinct species, or 
in some cases mere varieties has also found expression. For a long time I 
have had them under observation, with a view to clearing up the mystery 
surrounding them, and at length hope to have reduced them to something 
like order. 
There appears to me to be five distinct species in the Mexican highlands, 
which in certain localities grow two or more together and not infrequently 
become cross-fertilised by the insects which visit the flowers. These are L. 
anceps, L. albida, L. autumnalis, L. furfuracea, and L. grandiflora (majalis). 
Of these albida, furfuracea, and grandiflora appear to reach a higher eleva-. 
tion than the other two. Six other intermediate forms occur, which are: 
clearly of hybrid origin, namely—L. x Finckeniana, L. x Gouldiana, L. 
x Crawshayana, L. x leucoptera, L. x Eyermaniana, and L. x venusta.. 
These facts are shown in the following diagram :— 
L. anceps. . 
Moo . 1, L. X Finckeniana. 
L. albida, .. °:e:2% 2. L. x Gouldiana. 
eee 3. L. x Crawshayana. 
L. autumnalis. xX 4. L. X leucoptera. 
‘ 5. L. x Eyermaniana. 
L. furfuracea 
6. L. X venusta. 
L. grandiflora . 
(L. majalis) 
This diagram is very instructive. If my conclusions are correct—and I 
believe they are warranted by the facts—Lelia albida has been crossed with 
all the four species with which it grows; L. anceps with L. albida and L. 
autumnalis; L. autumnalis with L. albida and L. anceps; L. furfuracea 
with L. albida and L. grandiflora; and L. grandiflora with L. albida and L. 
furfuracea ; or a total of six out of ten possible combinations. The four not 
known are L. autumnalis and L. anceps each with L. furfuracea and L. 
grandiflora. For the explanation of the diagram it may be advisable 
to remark that diagonal lines are supposed to extend from each of the 
species on the left, and that each point of intersection represents a possible 
cross. The hybrids are represented in the right-hand column. We may 
now proceed to consider them in detail. 
1. L. x Finckentana.—This is a very distinct and beautiful plant 
