Te ORCHID REVIEW: 
VoL. XVII.] NOVEMBER, 1909. fNo. 203. 
SOPHRONITIS GRANDIFLORA AS A PARENT. 
J. M. Brack. 
‘On glancing over the field covered by intercrossing the genus Cattleya with 
its near allies, Lelia, Brassavola, Epidendrum and Sophronitis, and the 
hybrid genera formed, namely Brassocattleya, Epicattleya, &c., the supreme 
importance of the genus Sophronitis will be at once apparent. If one runs 
tthe mind over all the known species of Cattleya and Lelia—by far the most 
important genera florally—one cannot help being struck with the uniformity 
of colour, or the blending of tint, that one finds. With the exception of 
the smaller-flowered Leelias, such as cinnabarina, flava and harpophylla, 
which are inore or less self-coloured flowers of different shades of yellow, 
nearly all the Cattleyas and Lelias give various shades of rose, purple, 
magenta and yellow, but no scarlet; and if one is a hybridist of lengthy 
experience and with some ambition, the material to hand in these two genera, 
with the Brassavolas thrown in, will seem hardly sufficient in view of the 
fact that nearly all the primary combinations possible have already been 
made, and sufficient ground has been covered with combinations of these 
first crosses to indicate certain limitations with them. 
If one combines a desire for new hybrids with the intention that they 
shall be not only new and beautiful, but have a character of their own and a 
utilitarian value—as distinct from mere freak hybrids—then the scarlet 
‘SSophronitis grandiflora loudly commends itself. Of all the long list of 
Cattleyaand Lelia hybrids the best, taken collectively, are those which have 
been derived from C. Dowiana, whether primarily or secondarily, as witness 
-Brassocattleya Leemanniz, C. x MHardyana, C. X. Raphaeliz, C. x 
Octavia, Sophrocattleya Doris, S.-c. Blackii, and the wonderful Sophro- 
catlelia Marathon var. Vesuvius, to mention a few that occur quickly to the 
mind. These hybrids are generally distinct, and convey immediately the 
imprint of the C. Dowiana. That there is a wide field and abundant scope 
to keep on improving by selecting existing hybrids for judicious crossing 
together is very evident, and it is along these lines that hybridists must now 
work, achieving no doubt in future years very wonderful and unlooked-for 
results, and in Sophronitis grandiflora we have a factor which offers infinite 
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