A Review of Dendrobium × delicatum, artificial hybrids of D. kingianum × D. speciosum, and the status of D. Specio-kingianum (Orchidaceae)

Peter Adams

doi:10.7751/telopea20706

Authors

Dr. Peter B. Adams School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne and Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7751/telopea20706

Keywords:

Dendrobium, Hybrids, Orchids

Abstract

The natural hybrid Dendrobium × delicatum (F.M.Bailey) F.M.Bailey (D. kingianum Bidwill ex. Lindl. × D. speciosum Sm.) occurs sporadically and is found in areas where D. speciosum var. speciosum, var. hillii Masters, var. grandiflorum F.M.Bailey and var. carnarvonense Peter B.Adams grow in close proximity to D. kingianum. The largest population is in northern New South Wales, where D. speciosum var. hillii occurs. At Mt Alum, Bulahdelah, New South Wales, there was a significant number of natural hybrids with the parent D. speciosum var. speciosum, originally described as D. kestevenii Rupp. Back crosses to the parent species were present, but over-collection has reduced the natural hybrids to a very low level. The first artificially produced Australian Dendrobium hybrid was bred in England by Sir Trevor Lawrence and registered in 1892 with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as D. Speciokingianum. The parents were not recorded, and an illustration is not available. The description is consistent with a crossing of D. speciosum × D. × delicatum. The white flowering parent identified as D. kingianum was likely to have been a plant of D. × delicatum incorrectly labelled as D. kingianum var. album ‘Williams’. The name D. Speciokingianum is accepted by the RHS, but the parentage recorded for this grex was most likely incorrect. The name Dendrobium Delicatum has been used for the cross D. kingianum × D. speciosum by Australian growers and breeders since the outstanding breeding by Ira Butler in the 1960s. Hybrids between D. kingianum and D. speciosum, naturally occurring and artificial, have attracted much confusion and debate about parentage, taxonomy and nomenclature. It is concluded that D. Speciokingianum was not the result of a cross between the species as implied in the name or the stated parentage, and that the grex D. Delicatum should be used for the progeny of D. kingianum × D. speciosum.

Author Biography

Dr. Peter B. Adams, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne and Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Research Associate, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne

Research Associate Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

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