× ''Sophrolaeliocattleya'' (from ''

Sophronitis ''Cattleya'' () is a genus of orchids from Costa Rica south to Argentina. The genus is abbreviated C in trade journals. Description Epiphytic or terrestrial orchids with cylindrical rhizome from which the fleshy noodle-like roots grow. Pseu ...

'', ''

Laelia ''Laelia'' is a small genus of 25 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). ''Laelia'' species are found in areas of subtropical or temperate climate in Central America, Central and South America, but mostly in Mexico. ''Laelia'' is abbreviat ...

'' and ''

Cattleya ''Cattleya'' () is a genus of orchids from Costa Rica south to Argentina. The genus is abbreviated C in trade journals. Description Epiphyte, Epiphytic or terrestrial orchids with cylindrical rhizome from which the fleshy noodle-like roots ...

'', its parent genera) is a

nothogenus 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 Co ...

of artificial intergeneric

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

s. It is abbreviated as Slc. in the horticultural trade. 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 A habit (or wont, as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. A 1903 paper in the '' American Journal of Psychology'' defined a "habit, from the standpoint of psychology, ...

of the plant tends to be comparatively compact, all characteristics shared with ''Sophronitis''.

Etymology and taxonomic history

This nothogeneric epithet is derived by putting together the component genera: ''

'' (combining form -), ''

'' (combining form -) and ''

''; 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 ''

'' 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 ''Guarianthe'', abbreviated ''Gur.'' in the horticultural trade, is a small genus of epiphytic orchids, growing in wet forests in Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad. It was separated from the bifoliate ''Cattleya''s in 2003 ...

''. 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