THE ORCHID REVIEW. 235 
foremost among them being seven cases in which the reed-like species of 
Epidendrum proved to be prepotent when crossed with Cattleya, Lelia 
and Sophronitis. 
Several cases were also mentioned where distinct genera, mostly of 
distinct tribes, had been crossed together, and in every instance had 
reproduced the seed-parent almost unmodified, which he thought could be 
explained by the facts of parthenogenesis, the pollen having no power to 
hybridise the ovules, yet exerting sufficient influence to stimulate and 
develope them, parthenogetic seeds being produced which gave rise to 
plants of the same kind as the seed-parent. 
Primary hybrids between the same pair of species had a certain specific 
likeness, which extended to those obtained by reversing the parentage, 
though there was often considerable variation, even among seedlings obtained 
from the same capsule, which arose from a local predominance of the 
characters of one or the other parent. For example, in one part of the 
hybrid the form and colour of one parent might prevail, while in another 
part the other parent might be more apparent; Or, it might be the form of 
one parent and the colour of the other, and this variation the lecturer 
proposed to call partial prepotency, and suggested that it might possibly 
throw some light on the question of variation in the offspring of the “same 
parents. Examination of a large number of hybrids in the genus Paphio- 
pedilum showed that the most primary hybrids were fairly intermediate 
between their parents, and even when one parent appeared to preponderate 
in certain conspicuous parts a comparison of the less conspicuous parts 
would show that the balance of power was fairly well maintained. 
Secondary hybrids, whether derived from two or more species, presented 
still wider variation, either due to the increased factors in their pedigree, or 
to some other cause not yet ascertained, and in order to illustrate this he 
had an exhibit of 24 plants (not in flower) of Paphiopedilum X Clotho, 
derived from the same seed-capsule, no two being alike. They were raised 
by Mr. Reginald Young, of Liverpool, from P. X politum (derived from P. 
barbitum and P. venustum) crossed with the pollen of P. Boxallii. In 
each case the hybrid showed distinct traces of both parental and ancestral 
Species, but in different proportions. 
Respecting the fertility or sterility of hybrids, aes 
nothing had clung so tenaciously in the popular mind as the belief in their 
absolute infertility, which, however, was a misconception, for the records 
Proved that a large number were at least partially fertile, and absolute 
Sterility was comparatively rare. The phrase “ sterility ” as ae 
Darwin simply meant lessened fertility, not absolute barrenness. Re : 
diminished fertility of many hybrids was undoubted, but me é 
he had drawn up in the genus Papbiopedilum showed that this was large'y 
the lecturer remarked that 
