300 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
defined. Mr. Gower remarked that ‘‘ by its flowers one might be led ty 
suppose that O. Gardnerianum (s/c) and O. Marshallianum had something 
do with its parentage, as the sepals and petals resemble those of the forme 
plant, and the lip the latter ; but no indication is found in the pollen mass 
of its being a hybrid,t and indeed we are not such believers in natunl 
hybrids as some of our fellow Orchid-growers appear to be.” I shoulé 
describe it as having the habit and lip almost of O. Marshallianum, though 
both somewhat modified, with the sepals and petals of O. Forbesii, The 
reason of the resemblance to O. Gardneri will be apparent when we com: 
to consider the next hybrid. 
The foregoing remarks indicate pretty clearly, not only the variabilityd 
this hybrid, but also the way in which the characters of the parent species 
are combined in it. The vegetative organs, though generally intermediate, 
incline sometimes to those of the one parent, sometimes to those of the 
other; and the same may be said with respect to the flower. Thus 0. x 
pectorale has almost the lip and crest of O. Marshallianum, and the columt- 
wings of O. Forbesii. O. x caloglossum differs in having some of the spots 0 
O. Forbesii round the front margin of the lip. In O. x Mantiniiafewspis 
occur over the entire surface, while the crest, the column-wings, and the 
sepals and petals also show a very decided approach to O. Forbesii. Lastlj, 
O. x Larkinianum has the clear yellow column-wings and lip of 0. Marshal 
lianum, with the sepals and petals of O. Forbesii.’ 
The. following are the different forms of this hybrid, with references to 
descriptions and figures :— : 
Oncidium x pectorale, Lindl, Sert. Orch. t. 39 ia. Fol. Orchn Oncidy p. 20; Vat 
- Man. Orch., viii. p. 68. ame 
O. x caloglossum, Rchb, f. in Gard. Chron., 1885, ii. p. 166. oe 
# 
are secondary hybrids both of whose parents have been themselves of hybrid pier 
* Hybrids are very rarely precisely intermediate between their two 
The converse would indicate a complete fusion of the particles 
under which circumstances scarcely any variation would result. In fact, © 
pared to a mosaic, composed of particles derived from the parent ae 
i we 
originally distinct elements to again separate themselves. This irregular 
particles results in an ever-varying combination of the parental chart 
in other words, a variation in the pattern in almost every different + 
extreme variability of many hybrids. It seems necessary to emphasise th}! 
several persons have expressed their disbelief that certain distinct-looking 
Possibly have the same parentage, - 
