What is Encyclia 'Green Hornet' anyway?

[orchideric]

Green Hornet is an Epidendrum according to the RHS (who admit off-the-record that they are way behind the times), an Anacheilium according to Withner and Harding, or a Prosthechea according to Higgins. So pick a genus - all are technically correct.

One parent is cochleatum/cochleata - Epidendrum or Anacheilium cochleatum or Prosthechea cochleata.

The other parent is what had been called lancifolium. Examination of the holotype of lancifolium at the British Museum showed that it was not a distinct species as thought, rather it was the same as cochleatum.

So the plant we had called lancifolium now has the correct name of trulla (-um).

Thus, Green Hornet is (cochleatum x trullum).

Genera have gender - that is why the ending of the species name changes - like Epidendrum tampense vs. Encyclia tampensis.

Hope that helps, Eric