70 THE ORCHID REVIEW. {[MarcH, rgit- 
binoculars, he surveys the minute recesses of the distant forests, and when- 
ever, a Cattleya cannot-be-got-ata or Peristeria peculiarissima is observed, he 
directs his well trained minions to the spot, and with a well directed shot 
from ‘his high velocity long’ range rifle, he drops the rare plant, with its 
nutrient substratum, into the teak basket held below by his preaboriginal. 
assistants.’ ”’ 
NOTE ON THE HYBRIDISATION OF CHONDRORHYNCHA 
CHESTERTONI AND ZYGOPETALUM MACKAYI. 
Messrs. SANDER & Sons, St. Albans, have made crosses between the above 
very distinct species, the results of which are of exceptional interest. Both 
plants are regarded as pure species, though the Chondrorhyncha appears not 
to have been raised from seed in cultivation. Zygopetalum Mackayi is well 
known as affording several examples of monolepsis, its offspring, when. 
pollinated by Odontoglossum spp., Lycaste sp., &c., having proved to be 
pure Z. Mackayi. When pollinated by Chondrorhyncha Chestertoni, how- 
ever, the offspring were found to be of two distinct types. One of these has 
been named Chondropetalum Fletcheri, and has been figured and described 
(O. R., xvi. p. 56, fig. 8). The Editor remarks: ‘The plant has unques- 
tionably the habit of Z. Mackayi. . . The sepals and petals are green; 
with more or less confluent brown blotches, while the lip is cream-white 
except for a tinge of lilac in front of the crest.” Thus the colour is distinct 
from that of Z. Mackayi, yet it does not approach that of Chondrorhyncha 
Chestertoni. It may also be pointed out that the pseudobulb is narrower 
and more elongated and angled than the short rotund pseudobulb of 
Z. Mackayi (Chondrorhyncha is without pseudobulbs). The second type 
produced in Fr is indistinguishable from pure Z. Mackayi, as in previous 
cases of monolepsis. The two types are produced in about equal proportions. 
Messrs. Sander also made the reciprocal cross, viz., Chondrorhyncha 
Chestertoni 2? x Zygopetalum Mackayi 3; with the remarkable result that 
the offspring, as in the previous cross, were a mixture of Chondropetalum 
Fletcheri and Z. Mackayi in about equal numbers. Thus the results of the 
cross are identical in whichever direction it is made; both being in part 
monoleptic. 
The above extraordinary statements are made upon the authority of 
Messrs. Sander & Sons, and of Mr. Gott, their hybridist. The chance of 
error in their experienced hands is but small, and Mr. Gott considers that 
their “system of sowing Orchid seeds does not admit the possibility of any 
mistake occurring,” but it must be recognised, however improbable such an 
event may be, that the accidental sowing of seed from the first cross 
(Z. Mackayi as seed-parent) instead of from the reciprocal cross would 
account for the anomalous results considered to be given by the latter. 
