480 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



(3) Z. x Perrenoudi (Z. Mackayi intermedium $ x Z. Gauthieri $ ), 

 Diet. Icon. Orch. Zygo. hyb. pi. 1. 



Nor can it be said that Zygopetalum as a genus is prepotent 

 over other genera, for twice it has been crossed with Colax, and 

 in both cases true hybrids, intermediate in character, have been 

 raised. — (1) Zygo-Colax x Veitchii, Rolfe in Linn. Soc. Jour. 

 xxiv. p. 170. (Fig. 110.) (Z.crinitum? x C. jugosus.) (2) Zygo- 

 Colax x leopardinus (Z. maxillare $ x C. jugosus <?), Reich. 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, 1886, i. p. 199. 



So that, as far as our present knowledge goes, we can only 

 account for the prepotency of Zygopetalum over Odontoglossum, 

 Oncidium, and Lycaste in the same way that we have had to 

 explain the predominance of Epidendrum over Cattleya, Lrelia, 

 and Sophronitis, namely, that in the germ-cells of Odonto- 

 glossum, Oncidium, and Lycaste there must be a certain propor- 

 tion — a large proportion in these cases — of unmodified nuclear 

 particles of Zygopetalum, and that, therefore, Zygopetalum is 

 the common ancestor of Odontoglossum, Oncidium, and Lycaste, 

 and that the three latter genera are more recent in their origin 

 than the ancestral genus Zygopetalum. A somewhat interesting 

 confirmation of this in regard to Odontoglossum, at any rate, is 

 the fact that the seedling Odontoglossums raised by M. Leroy 

 for Baron Rothschild, of Paris, " during the first eighteen months 

 of their growth resembled Zygopetalum more than they did 

 Odontoglossum." (" Orchid Hybrids," p. 226.) Students of em- 

 bryology will appreciate this fact, for it is well known to them 

 that all living beings tend to resemble their ancestors in the 

 early stages of their development. 



Curious Crosses. 



In the Orchid Review for June 1897 I recorded a few curious 

 generic crosses made by me during the early part of this year, 

 with the results up to June 1. I venture to repeat them here 

 with their progress up to date. 



(1) Lycaste Skinneri $ x Lrelia anceps Sanderiana 

 Crossed February 15, 1897. A healthy-looking pod 5 inches in 

 girth. 



(2) Lycaste Skinneri $ x Brassavola glauca (?. Crossed 

 February 15, 1897. A good-looking pod 5 inches in girth. 



