September, 1916.] 



THH ORCHID WORLD. 



231 



CATTLEYA TRIAN/E AS A 

 PARENT. 



THE early results of hybridisation were 

 interesting, as they brought forth 

 novelties which pleased the amateur 

 and recompensed the trade grower. But as 

 time went on it was discovered that some of 

 our most promising seedlings produced 

 flowers quite different to what were expected. 

 We may mention the numerous attempts that 

 were made to produce large yellow flowers by 

 the use of Cattleya aurea and with disap- 

 pointing results, as many other raisers have 

 since found out. Again, the small Laelia 

 cinnabarina and the pretty Sophronitis 

 grandiflora both excited considerable interest 

 years ago, as it then appeared reasonably 

 certain that the cinnabar and scarlet-red of 

 these two species might be carried forward 

 into the larger flowering Cattleyas, but such 

 has not been found practicable, the seedlings, 

 while inheriting some of the desired colour, 

 being small flowered. 



Now while these promising species were 

 receiving so much attention, there were others 

 which remained almost unnoticed, as their 

 general characteristics did not appear of value 

 to the hybridist. Cattleya Trianae is one of 

 these, and if we seek for the reason it is to be 

 found in the comparatively weak colour of its 

 flower, the oftentimes thinness of the sepals 

 and petals, and that rarely more than one 

 flower is produced on a spike. " Why should 

 we bother," remarked a certain hybridist, 

 "over such poor material when we have much 

 finer things in C. Mendelii and C. Mossiae?" 



Recent results, however, show that C. 

 Trianae is likely to be of more assistance 

 to the hybridist than has hitherto been 

 expected, as the following few examples 

 prove. Brasso-Cattleya Digbyano-Mossiae is 

 certainly a fine hybrid, but when crossed with 

 C. Trianae it has produced in B.-C. Cliftonii 

 results that are acknowledged to be the finest 

 hybrids yet seen of Brassavola Digbyana ; at 

 the recent sale of Mr. J. Gurney Fowler's 

 collection three varieties realised a total of 

 310 guineas. 



A recent albino result is seen in Cattleya 



Evelyn Sander (Trianae alba x Dusseldorfei 

 Undine), in which the pure white flowers 

 have larger segments than in the latter parent. 

 At the Royal Horticultural Society, February 

 22nd, 1916, an Award of Merit was given to 

 L.-C. Erzerum (Mrs. Temple x Trianae), a 

 new hybrid shown by Messrs. Armstrong and 

 Brown, the flower having broad segments of 

 rose-purple colour. 



Going back to earlier times, when hybrids 

 of Laelia purpurata were to be seen in 

 abundance, L.-C. Wellsiana (Trianae x 

 purpurata) was always considered a worthy 

 addition to any collection, for the influence 

 of Trianae greatly improved the dimensions 

 of the purpurata petals. Another example is 

 seen in L.-C. Barbarossa (Trianae x callisto- 

 glossa). Mention may also be made of I^.-C. 

 warnhamensis (cinnabarina x Trianae) and 

 I-..-C. Myra (flava x Trianae), both popular 

 hybrids in their time. It was the late Sir 

 Trevor Lawrence who obtained a First-class 

 Certificate for L.-C. Trimyra (Trianae x 

 Myra), noted for its orange-yellow colour, 

 and illustrated in the ORCHID WORLD, 

 Vol. III., p. 261. 



A present day Cattleya that is enjoying 

 much popularity is C. Maggie Raphael 

 (Trianae alba x aurea), while another attrac- 

 tive hybrid is to be seen in L.-C. Baroness 

 Schroder (Trianae x Jongheana) in which the 

 expansive yellow throat is a noteworthy 

 feature. In C. Fafner (Enid x Trianae) an 

 elegant hybrid has also been produced, and 

 many other examples could be quoted, if 

 further proof were needed. 



The majority of the above-mentioned 

 hybrids were probably produced by fine 

 varieties of Trianae, although it is ques- 

 tionable whether they were equal to the 

 superb forms existing in some of the noted 

 collections of to-day, and of which mention 

 may be made of The Premier, Grand 

 Monarch, Imperator, Mrs. de B. Crawshay 

 and Lord Kitchener, the latter illustrated m 

 the Orchid World, Vol. V., p. 130. 



The breeding of large Cattleyas will always 

 engage the attention of Orchid fanciers, and 

 those who seek for awards at the horticultural 

 exhibitions. 



