What is Encyclia 'Green Hornet' anyway?

[fisx]

Green Hornet used to be listed as a cross between Encyclia cochleatum x Encyclia lancifolium. But, cochleatum is now in the genus Anacheilium. According to Carl Withner Anacheilium lancifolium is an outdated incorrect synonym of A. cochleatum!
I would be interested to know G.H.'s correct ancestry and given the expertise in this board I know some one will have the answer.
I really enjoy Green Hornet. It thrives along side Encyclia and Cattleya botanicals in my intermediate greenhouse here in northern Wyoming. Small plants rapidly progress into spectacular specimens. The common name 'Green Hornet' is entirely descriptive! G.H. seems to show hybrid vigor over cochleatum: it grows faster and produces larger flowers. G.H. could just as well be a sib cross of a selected form of cochleatum, a polypoid, or even an intergeneric cross [although somehow I doubt that].

[Royal]

This question has been raised here before. I'm not sure if it we ever got a satisfactory answer. Good to know about Green Hornet, though. I'll have to keep my eye out for one.

[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

[susiep]

Wow! Thanks for the info. I just got a Green Hornet last week from Oak Hill and it is nice. 3 spikes! They advised me to get this one instead of the cochleata because it was bigger, has bigger and more flowers, but looks almost identical in shape and colors. I will soon see for myself!

[fisx]

Eric:
As I predicted one of the many preeminent biologists of this board came up with the answer in no time! It's amazing to me how fast things disappear when I don't refer back to them often. I have a B.S. [graduated in 1975] with lots of botany and the fact that genera have genders was lost and forgotten by me - until now. So, thanks Eric.

Cheers Fisx

[Royal]

Originally Posted by orchideric

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).

If lancifolium is not a distinct species, and thought to be the same as cochleatum, then why call it trullum? It the Brittish museum is right, than Green Hornt is really cochleata x cochleata and not a hybrid.

[gixrj18]

Ahaa! Finally someone else is having this problem. I posted this same argument last year. If you ask me, Green Hornet is cochleatum.....and somebody got screwed out of creating a hybrid!

[gixrj18]

Although, Green Hornet has very large p-bulbs, so it has to have something crossed in there. Also, I have noticed that Green Hornet blooms year round.

[orchideric]

Dear Royal,

You are confusing names (nomenclature) with species (taxonomy). Nobody questions that what was called lancifolium is a species distinct from cochleatum. Only the names changed, not the classification. If your mother gets remarried and changes her last name (nomenclature), she is still your mother (taxonomy).

This is why botanists formally use the term sensu, meaning in the sense of. The lancifolium, sensu authors = trullum. The true lancifolium, of the original author Lindley = cochleatum.

Make no doubt that Green Hornet is a hybrid of 2 species and is not just a sibling cross of cochleatum.

Hope that helps, Eric

[susiep]

Huh? Just kidding. Very interesting. Here is a pic of my Green Hornet. It should be really pretty with all 3 spikes fully in bloom!