A nomenclatural history for Dendrobium × delicatum (Orchidaceae)

Abstract

The nomenclatural history of the naturally occurring hybrid orchid Dendrobium × delicatum (F.M.Bailey) F.M.Bailey is reviewed. The earliest published name for this hybrid was D. speciosum var. delicatum F.M.Bailey in 1883. In 1896, an artificially raised plant of D. speciosum × D. kingianum was granted an Award of Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. Reports of this award in Horticultural periodicals that year were associated with publication of several names for the hybrid plants that only partially fulfilled the requirements of the International Code of Nomenclature for plants, algae, and fungi (ICN) and the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). None, however, achieved valid publication or establishment under the respective codes, leaving Dendrobium × delicatum (F.M.Bailey) F.M.Bailey as the earliest available name at species rank for the naturally occurring hybrid, contrary to recently published arguments that D. speciokingianum is the 'correct' name for both nothospecies and grex. The provisions of both ICN and ICNCP are discussed with reference to published names. The earliest name established for the grex is either D. Kingiano-speciosum or D. × spyersii. There seems nothing to be gained in having two names in Latin form for the same hybrid, when differences in origin can be reflected by typographical modification of the nothospecies epithet, as is current established practice.