× ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' (from ''
Sophronitis'', ''
Laelia'' and ''
Cattleya'', its parent genera) is a nothogenus of artificial intergeneric
orchid hybrids. It is abbreviated as Slc. in the horticultural trade.
[http://www.rhs.org.uk/RHSWebsite/files/87/87be8b1e-908e-4e04-9ee6-30c438354458.pdf ]
As of 2008, × ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' is defunct, with the genus ''Sophronitis'' having been merged into ''Cattleya''.
Anatomy, morphology and habit
× ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' often shows the influence of its ''Sophronitis'' parent strongly; its flowers tend to range through yellow-orange to red, they tend to be smaller, and the general
habit of the plant tends to be comparatively compact, all characteristics shared with ''Sophronitis''.
Etymology and taxonomic history
This
nothogeneric
In botanical nomenclature, a hybrid may be given a hybrid name, which is a special kind of botanical name, but there is no requirement that a hybrid name should be created for plants that are believed to be of hybrid origin. The ''International Cod ...
epithet is derived by putting together the component genera: ''
Sophronitis'' (combining form -), ''
Laelia'' (combining form -) and ''
Cattleya''; it is capitalized and is not italicized because it is a nothogeneric epithet. By 1999, the component genera had been rather stable (with the exception of the discovery of new species) for many decades.
In 2000, many (if not most) of the species of ''Laelia'' which had been used in producing Slc. hybrids were moved into the genus ''Sophronitis''. As a result, many
greges which had been in × ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' were moved into the nothogenus × ''Sophrocattleya'', abbreviated Sc.
In 2008, the genus ''
Sophronitis'' was merged into ''Cattleya'',
making the nothogenera × ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' and × ''Sophrocattleya'' defunct. At the same time, several species of ''Cattleya'' which had been widely used in hybridization were moved into the new genus ''
Guarianthe''. As a result, greges which were once classified in × ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' are now found in several genera and nothogenera:
Importance to humans
× ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' and other ''Sophronitis'' hybrids are commonly crossed to produce a desirable orange or red bloom not generally present in ''Cattleya'' hybrids not involving ''Sophronitis'', and the compact shape is well suited for artificial light gardens.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sophrolaeliocattleya
Orchid nothogenera
Laeliinae
Historically recognized angiosperm taxa