*** Challenge ***

[amaximia]

This is my challenge:

Can a "New World" epiphyte cross with an "Old World" epiphyte?

This may seem a strange question, but there are people who claim to have crossed New World terrestrials with Old World terrestrials. For example, Calopogon (US) with Bletilla (China). Also, Ted Green, a Hawaiian hybridizer specializing in Spathoglottis claims to have crossed Bletia (US) with Spathoglottis (SE Asia). Maybe even Cypripediums with Paphs, who knows.

But as far as I know there are no registrations for such a cross done between epiphytes.

My reasoning for this is that orchids evolved from terrestrials over 200 million years ago before the split of the continents. Sometime after the continents moved apart, orchids became more specialized. It seems natural, given the seeds are so light as to be carried by the wind and deposited anywhere, including the top of trees. Changes in weather might have made entire areas more densely populated by trees, causing orchids to adapt gradually.

Now, back to the challenge...

The obvious "easy one" might be either a Dendrophylax or a Polyradicion (ghost orchid) with an Angraecum, supposing that can be done. (Would that prove my thesis wrong?)

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Alex

[LJA]

I'm nowhere near knowledgeable enough in this area to even begin to answer, but I'm looking forward to reading the posts of those who are. I imagine some of the other Evil Geniuses will have interesting things to say. Good challenge, amaximia.

[Jmoney]

I'd like to see a long petalled phrag species crossed with paph sanderianum. I'm sure it wouldn't work, but ya never know...

But I'd also like ten million dollars and we all know the likelihood of that...

[amaximia]

Cyrtellia (Cyrtl.) = [Ansellia x Cyrtopodium]

Grammatopodium (Grtp.) = [Cyrtopodium x Grammatophyllum]

[Sue]

Yeah, those are a couple of 'em. I started looking through the CymbidiumGate crossings a little while ago, as these span new and old worlds (Cymbidium complex - generally Asia; Zygo complex - South America). Then I tried to find pictures of these supposed crossings. Nothing! Then I got frustrated and stopped looking for a little while.

Grrrr.

You don't happen to have any photographic or real-life proof of Cyrtellia or Grammatopodium?