Confused about Species versus Hybrids?

[Tindomul]

Thanks Rowangreen, You got me on that one. Sorry laps on my part.

[Rowangreen]

No problem *G*

[Ray]

I will also add two more points:

There are naturally-occurring hybrids found in the wild, as well, where the populations of two compatible species overlap. They are correctly designated by adding a "X" to the name, e.g., Paphiopedilum X wellesleyanum (Paph. concolor x godefroyae). If that cross is man-made, then the "X: is dropped and the grex name should be capitalized - Paphiopedilum Wellesleyanum.

Maybe I missed it elsewhere, but a species crossed with another of the same species, is still that species, not a hybrid.

[quiltergal]

Originally Posted by Ray

Maybe I missed it elsewhere, but a species crossed with another of the same species, is still that species, not a hybrid.

And just to expand on that point if you have two parents of the same species but with different clonal names then the tag would read Phal. violacea 'Green' x 'Ponkan'.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia orchidspecies.com

It's not the one I meant, but it's a very good one because of the pictures as well

The one I was thinking of was a 'Kew Gardens' one and I think was an official register of species for the RHS. Can't track it down again since they re-did their website.

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

I will also add two more points:

There are naturally-occurring hybrids found in the wild, as well, where the populations of two compatible species overlap. They are correctly designated by adding a "X" to the name, e.g., Paphiopedilum X wellesleyanum (Paph. concolor x godefroyae). If that cross is man-made, then the "X: is dropped and the grex name should be capitalized - Paphiopedilum Wellesleyanum.

Maybe I missed it elsewhere, but a species crossed with another of the same species, is still that species, not a hybrid.

My understanding is that a man made cross will get a different name as well as dropping the x, at least it does in some cases, maybe not all

There is a big difference between a natural hybrid and a man made one. In a man made one you know that the hybrid is a cross of the two parents. In a natural hybrid a plant may by a cross of the natural hybrid with one of the parents (back cross).

When back crosses are man made they get a new hybrid name, but when it happens in nature no-one knows how often it has happened as no-one has been in control of what has crossed with what. All that is known is that two populations of two species live close enough together and that many plants found in the area display characteristics of both. Some might be very like one parent, some very like the other parent, some might be somewhere in between.

That's the reason back crosses in nature keep the same hybrid name as just the two species crossed together, no one knows how the genes of the two parents have been mixed and remixed in them.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by RosieC

My understanding is that a man made cross will get a different name as well as dropping the x, at least it does in some cases, maybe not all

Man made hybrids used to be able to be registered with the same name as the natural hybrid but it is only appropriate to use the capitalised natural hybrid name for the man made cross if that name has been registered for the man made cross. According to the ICNCP (8th ed Art 23), as of 2010, man made hybrids can no longer be registered with the same name as the natural cross, presumably because of the issues with backcrosses etc that you mentioned.

[RosieC]

Thanks Andrew, good information.