ELE. ORGELPD REVIEW, 
VoL. XVI. APRIL, 1908. [No,. 184. 
HYBRIDISING WITH MIXED POLLEN. 
We have now another remarkable result of hybridising with mixed pollen 
to record, even more striking than the one mentioned at page 375 of our 
last volume. Flowers of two very diverse seedlings have been sent by M. 
L. Cappe, Vésinet, France, who writes as follows : ‘‘ The two inflorescences 
sent herewith were raised from the same seed pod, which at first sight seems 
extraordinary, and even impossible, until the facts are explained. On 
March 7th, 1go1, I fertilised a flower of Lelio-cattleya Cappei (Lelia 
cinnabarina xX Cattleya gigas), with mixed pollen of Lelia flava and 
Cattleya Mendelii.. The resulting capsule matured, and the seed was 
sown, and when it germinated some of the seedlings were seen to differ 
from the others in the shape cf the bulbs and leaves. The first seedling 
flowered a year ago, and was noted on page g2 of your last volume. It has 
bloomed again, and I send the scape, now bearing seven flowers. The 
habit, shape of bulbs, leaves, and flowers, the long scape, and the deep 
yellow colour, all show very strongly the influence of Lzlia flava, but the 
crisped lip shows the influence of L. cinnabarina, coming through L.-c. 
Cappei. The second seedling out of the same batch, which has now pro- 
duced its first flower, shows a great approach to C. Mendelii in the shape 
of the bulbs and leaves, while the sepals and petals are well-developed, and 
the ample lip has the very rich colour of L.-c. Cappei and the crisped shape 
which comes from L. cinnabarina. This proves that if we fertilise one and 
the same flower with the pollen of two different species, the pollen tubes 
from one species may fertilise part of the ovules, and the pollen tubes from 
the second species may fertilise some of the others. It would be most 
interesting to have the experience of other hybridists on the subject.” 
Without the record of origin we should have taken the first-mentioned 
for an inflorescence of Lzlia Cowanii, and we should say that Cattleya 
Mendelii has taken no part in the production of this hybrid. And further, 
the influence of the original C. Warscewiczii (one parent of L.-c. Cappel) 
seems to have been entirely eliminated, even to the pollen. It looks more 
ciation than of dominance, though it would be 
like a case of extreme disso : 
be obtained. 
interesting another year-to see if self-fertilised seedlings can 
97 
