Does anyone believe that a true Phragmipaphium has been made?

[Magicboy]

I think I was a little distracted when I wrote that I meant Cattleya with Laelia, Brassavolae and Vanda with Phalaenopsis, Renanthera, Ascocentrum and many others.

Sorry!

 

[NYEric]

If it's possible and the plant isn't some kind of toxic/lethal virus vector then why not. Heather if Chef Morimoto prepared the pigoat wouldn't you eat it?

 

[kentuckiense]

I think I was a little distracted when I wrote that I meant Cattleya with Laelia, Brassavolae and Vanda with Phalaenopsis, Renanthera, Ascocentrum and many others.

Sorry!

Haha that's acceptable then!

However, I'd like to warn against trying to equate the intergeneric breeding of Paph/Phrag with that of Cattleya/Laelia(or whatever they are now). It is important to remember that the divisions that create genera are human constructs and are rarely "equal" with each other. For instance, the fact that Cattleya and Laelia are readily capable of interbreeding should not be used to infer equal breeding potential with Paph/Phrag. I need to brush up on my orchid evolution, but I'd be willing to bet quite a bit that Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium have been reproductively isolated from one another (and thus evolving separately) for far longer than Laelia and Cattleya or Vanda and Phalaenopsis.

 

[NYEric]

I need to brush up on my orchid evolution, but I'd be willing to bet quite a bit that Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium have been reproductively isolated from one another (and thus evolving separately) for far longer than Laelia and Cattleya or Vanda and Phalaenopsis.

If that's true then wouldn't the PaphxPhrag be impossible.
Evolution=Blasphemy!

 

[kentuckiense]

If that's true then wouldn't the PaphxPhrag be impossible.

Not necessarily, but it's my personal opinion that Paph x Phrag is next to impossible.

Evolution=Blasphemy!

Get new material, please.

 

[bwester]

I think we should be like those crazy Soviet scientists of the cold war era and make something extremely outlandish like a paph micranthum with the ass of a guinea pig grafted to it..... assmapaphium
:rollhappy:

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I can't imagine a true phragmipaphium. I've seen photo's of the chromosomes, and they are very different, in both number and size...I think Phrag chromosomes are smaller, but it may be vice-versa. I cannot imagine these different sets of chromosomes pairing up successfully. On the other hand, is there a possibility of Selenipedium by Phrag or Mexipedium? Its worth it for the weirdness......Take care, Eric

 

[Roy]

Eric M, I believe your post is near correct. I asked the question of Phrag x paph of Dr Guido Braem once and his reply was that the genetics difference between the two would not allow them to mate.
Roy.

 

[NYEric]

I like to hope that the crosses are possible because that would make more beautiful plants available .