Species naming question
 

I need clarification on naming of species orchids.

I'm drawing a blank right now and need help with this dumb question:

Why does a species plant, lets say Paph. delenatii ('My Fair Lady' x 'Irene') for example have a cross name associated with it? I thought if it was a species plant it was just that. This is confusing the heck out of me. I also found the same with paph sukhakulii ('Orions Belt' x 'Andromeda' HCC/AOS). If it was crossed would it not then be considered a hybrid? (with a hybrid name given it?)

Thanks in advance!
Helen

i would like to know as well

It can get confusing. Whats going on here is the crossing of 2 species, with different 'cultivar epithets'. Thats the name in the quotes. If a grower raises a batch of plants that have outstanding / different qualities than others of its type, he/she may want to get it registered. Thus, giving it the cultivar name.

So, using one of your examples... Paph. delenatii ('My Fair Lady' x 'Irene'). This is 2 species paphs, one registered as My Fair Lady, the other Irene. If you and the other poster, Snow had delanatii cultivars named after yourselves, you could make a cross called Paph delanatii 'Helen' x 'Snow'. Still a species, as long as the same species is used in the cross.

Robert Bedard Horticulture : Orchid Nomenclature
Cultivar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow, that makes sense but it seems orchidists sure like to complicate matters!

Helen, as you say a species name is a species name and nothing more is needed to let you know what species is being said. Nevertheless, as Dave said, when two clones bearing desirable qualities (in general, awarded clones with cultivar names) are crossed the breeder may want you to know of what parents he/she used by following the species name by the cultivar names of the parents. By doing this he/she believes that you can make a better assessment of the quality of the progeny. That's just it. On the label we should only have, for example, Paphiopedilum delenatii.
And I agree... orchidists like to complicate things a bit. Makes it more a confrere thing, you know?

Species retain the species name - or there wouldn't be any. In nature the species crosses with another of the same species which is what spreads the species. It's the same with hybrids. C. Bob Betts "Victory" X C. Bob Betts "The Virgin" is still C. Bob Betts.
In nature, if two separate species cross it is a natural hybrid.e.g. C. aurantiaca X C. skinneri = C. Guatemalensis. Often it is described as xC. guatemalensis with the uncapitalized name to indicate it was found in nature. If it is capitalized it was crossed and grown in a nursery.

Many thanks to everyone....what a great explanation!
Now I understand and it makes good sense. Now I know why my Paph sukhakulii Giant x Dick is named that way!
This is why I love this forum so much...you guys are fantastic! And, I learn a lot from all of you.
Helen