224 



THI': ORCHID WORLD. 



[July, 191 4. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM FASCINATOR 

 "BLUESPOT." 



This variety is worth marking amongst its 

 fellows on account of the peculiar coloration 

 of the blotches on the sepals and petals, 

 which are of the usual deep rich chocolate 

 (given by the admixture of Hunnewellianum), 

 but are distinct from others owmg to a 

 superficial layer of lilac, the area of which is 

 slightly smaller than the brown below it, 

 giving the whole spot a bluish tint. The 

 peculiarity is much more marked in the sepals 

 than in the petals, and is absent in the lip and 

 on the column head. The ground of the 

 flower is clear white. 



The blue in this imported plant (Camacho, 

 1903) is evidently strong and reproduces 

 itself, as is shown by the three succeeding 

 descriptions of Lohengrin, Phryne and 

 Cornelia. From this fact it will become 

 useful in fixing a blue shade. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM LOHENGRIN. 

 Rolfeas X Fascinator " Bluespot. 



This plant will probably go some way 

 towards giving a decided bluish coloured spot 

 on a white ground. The first cross has 

 retained the bluish shade of the parent's 

 characteristic feature, and repetition will 

 probably greatly increase it, but whether with 

 the same pollen parent or with another 

 remains to be proved. 



The Rolfeae was a good ordinary variety, 

 worth 15 guineas in igo/, cream-yellow 

 ground, well marked in the usual manner with 

 dark spots and blotches. 



This resultant seedling has coupled up all 

 the fine qualities of both parents, its only 

 fault being lack of perfect form, as the petals 

 do not overlap the sepals, but meet at their 

 bases. This, however, will improve, as the 

 plant is not very strong and carries eleven 

 flowers on the first spike. 



The ground of the whole bloom is white, 

 the sepals being almost covered with rich 

 crimson-brown, barred by the white ground. 

 The bluish overlay spot is present exactly as 



m the pollen parent. The petals, in which the 

 blue overlay is much less, as in the parent 

 also, are marked very much like those of 

 Mirabeau (O. W., February, 1914, p. 102). 

 Lip, rich crimson-brown markings on white 

 ground. Column white, as in Rolfeae. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM PHRYNE. 

 percultum x Fascinator " Bluespot." 



It is interesting to see how in various ways 

 Nature can produce almost the same results 

 by hybridity and heredity. Blue seems latent 

 in many Odontoglossums, and it is gradually 

 becoming more pronounced in the hybrids. 

 The hopes of the future at present seem to 

 be a " pure yellow," but there are some who 

 occasionally think of a " pure blue," and 

 perhaps it may only prove to be a " think," 

 although it is worth trying for. 



Phryne, were she not covered by a bluish- 

 lilac shade, would only be a very moderate 

 form, but she has inherited the blue tint in 

 the spots of her father, which has run all 

 through the markings and the ground colour, 

 aided by the natural lilac in percultum. I 

 raised this, and bloomed it m May, 1913. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM CORNELIA. 



crispum tripudians crispum x Adriana; 



bellatulum Fascinator " Bluespot ' 



! \ 



Cornelia. 



Having made two crosses of the above 

 parentage on two different bellatulums, it is 

 very interesting to see the great strength of 

 tripudians, which has doubtless been assisted 

 by " Bluespot " in giving the blue shade to 

 the spotting, this being much the same in 

 arrangement as m crispum, when taken in a 

 quantity. 



The lips have large overlays of rich purple, 

 which stand out conspicuously on the white 

 ground of the rest of the flower. 



de B. CrawsJiay, Rosefield, May 2jrd, igi-j.. 



