July 2!, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
55 
bigeneric hybrids by a cross between Sophronitis grandiflora and 
Oattleya mterme^a and though when the statement was first 
made that plants had been raised from crosses between Cattleya and 
bophronitis it was received rather incredulously by some, yet the 
matter is now satisfactorily proved by a plant that has just flowered 
m Messrs Yeitch & Sons Chelsea Nursery. This is one of the 
feedenian experiments, the Sophronitis having been fertilised with 
polimia from Cattleya intermedia, and the seed resulting from this 
cross was sown five years ago. Several plants have been showing 
flowers for some weeks, and on one of these the long-expected 
flower opened a few days ago and revealed the fact that a satisfac¬ 
tory | bigeneric cross had been accomplished. The plants are as yet 
small, and the one which has flowered is thj weakest, so that a fair 
estimate can scarcely be formed of the real merits of the hybrid 
have of Sophronitis grandiflora appears under the name of Cattleya 
coccinea with a figure of Cattleya intermedia pallida in the 
Botanical Register for 1836, and of the former Lindley says, 
Steins - or 3 inches high ; flowers bright scarlet, 3 inches across, 
a most remarkable and beautiful species.” Subsequent examina- 
tion of other specimens, however, and the introduction of living 
plants determined the reference of “ Cattleya coccinea ” to the 
pnus Sophronitis, and it has been accepted as distinct by succeed¬ 
ing authorities. It would be rather strange if after all the original 
name should be found to be an appropriate one, and the fact that a 
cross has been obtained with the Cattleya would seem to indicate 
that tho relat'onship is nearer than has been supposed. The late 
Mr. C. Eentham classed both genera in the tribe Epidendrese, sub- 
tube Ladiem, the chief characters of the latter residing in the 
Fig. 6 .—LrELIA BATE M AN NT A N A. 
Tto P°TnS f Fe t0 3 J ncheS hi S h - with oval leaves 
wJS— 1 g ' , The 1 flowera 2^ inches in diameter, like the 
netak obKn, m i g f eral ^°w? e ’ * he S , epals elli PticaI rather acute, the 
p als oblanceolate, and both of a light rosy purple tint—a rather 
curious shade, and having somewhat the appearance of an underly- 
g tint, probably the effect of the Sophronitis colour, though it Is 
strange that such a distinctive hue is not more strongly marked 
curving 18 lk ® hat of a smalj Cattleya intermedia with the wings 
g C0 . Iun J n , vhite, and the central lobe, which is much 
nore rounded than in the Sophronitis, is of an intensely rich crimson 
nImeT y Tb ely f gedwitl l White ’ “ is often seen ^ the CatTya’ 
h wrvnJi 9 col ““ n “ white faintly margined with crimson, aid 
nlant7JJl ty restlD ^ 1 " the wh [ te thr oat of the lip. With stronger 
r ,n+ may expect to see the characters more nearly resemble 
C. intermedia m robustness for, of course, at present the difference 
the slnrI S /| eC p IS fti Cry r kl k Ie ,’ thou » h there is ample indication of 
ne share the Cattleya has had in the parentage. 
it 13 somewhat peculiar that the first published description we 
pollen-masses, which are either four in one series or eight in two 
senes. Lielia Schomburghkia, and Sophronitis are associated to¬ 
gether as instances of those with the two series of four pollen- 
masses each, equal or nearly so. In a paper contributed to the 
L.nnean Society s Transactions the same author observes that 
Eailia is so closely allied in every respect to Cattleya that one has 
great hesitation in accepting the technical distinction of the eight 
pollen-masses in two series instead of the single series of four (as 
in Cattleya) especially as hybrids are so readily produced in culti- 
vation in which the number of pollen-masses is variable.” The 
relationship of Sophronitis through Ltelia to the Cattleyas is there¬ 
fore apparently rather close, and it will be interesting to learn in 
what way the polimia characters of the hybrid have been affected, 
which Professor Reichenbach, to whom the plant has been referred 
will no doubt dilate upon. ’ 
..P? 01 ? a careful examination it was found that there were eight 
polimia in the flowers, and it was in consequence referred to the 
genus Lsalia, the peculiar result being that hybridising a Cattleya 
