Journal Number 89
December 2003

AUSTRALIAN NOTES

Understanding Orchid Names
By Brian Richards
From Kalhari, "The Message Stick" of A.N.O.S. (Qld) Kabi Group Inc.

Species
Orchids, like all living things, are given a scientific name that consists of at least two words (a
binomial name). The language used is of Latin or Greek origin as this is the traditional language
of science and is internationally understood.

The first word of the name is the genus (plural: genera) or generic name. It is a noun and is written in lower case letters with a capital initial letter and is underlined if written or italicised if printed.

The second word is the specific epithet. It is an adjective, is written in lower case letters and also
underlined if written or italicised if printed. Together the two words make the species name.

Species is both singular and plural. e.g. Dendrobium tetragonum is a species name consisting
of the generic name (Dendrobium) and the specific epithet (tetragonum).

The generic name is a singular noun. When pluralised it becomes a common name and does
not begin with a capital except to begin a sentence and is not italicised eg. cymbidiums, odontoglossums.

Subspecies, Varieties & Forms
Taxonomists may sometimes add other words onto the species name in a strict hierarchal order
of rank. They are subspecific epithet (subsp.) varietal epithet (var.) and form epithet (f.).
e.g. Dendrobium tetragonum var. giganteum is a varietal name consisting of the generic name (Dendrobium), the specific epithet (tetragonum) and the varietal epithet (giganteum).

These epithets are in lower case letters and are underlined if written or italicised if printed.
The terms subsp, var and f are not underlined or italicised.

Synonyms
A synonym is a name that has been rejected because another name has precedence or the plant
has been reclassified. e.g. Dendrobium jonesii (Syn Dendrobium ruppianum)

Hybrids
A hybrid can be defined as the progeny of a cross-fertilisation between plants with different genetic systems.

Natural Hybrids
Natural hybrids are hybrids that have been discovered growing in the wild and have come about
without the intervention of humans. When two different species of the same genus hybridise the
progeny are know as interspecific hybrids. Interspecific hybrid names can either be written as a
formula ie the names of both parents with a cross in between.   e.g. Dendrobium kingianum x
Dendrobium speciosum  or are given a collective epithet which is preceded by a "x" e.g. Dendrobium x delicatum is a collective name consisting of the generic name (Dendrobium) and
the collective epithet (delicatum).

In the case of intergeneric hybrids (the progeny of a cross-fertilisation between two plants of
different genera) a new name is given. A "x" is placed in front of this name but is usually  omitted
in orchid literature. e.g. Aerides x Vanda = Aeridovanda

Artificial Hybrids
Artificial hybrids are hybrids that have resulted from the cross-pollination of flowers by humans. When cultivated orchids are hybridised the progeny are initially known by a formula. This consists of the names of both parents with a "x" in between (the capsule parent is written first, the pollen parent second). e.g. Dendrobium biggibum x Dendrobium tetragonum

Later the plant is given a grex name (grex means flock or herd) consisting of the generic name and the grex epithet. All progeny from future matings are known by this name irrespective of which parent was used as the seed parent. e.g. Dendrobium Peewee is a grex name consisting of the generic name (Dendrobium) and the grex epithet (Peewee).

Grex epithets are not latinised or underlined/italicised, can be more than one word (a maximum of three) are written in lower case letters with each word beginning with a capital letter and must have been registered with the International Registration Authority for Orchid Hybrids.

In the case of intergeneric hybrids a new name is formed from a combination of the parent generic names: e.g. Sophronitis x Laelia or Laelia x Sophronitis becomes Sophrolaelia.

In 1950 it was decided that hybrids involving three or more genera would be given generic names ending in - ara. e.g. Potinara = Brassavola x Cattleya x Laelia x Sophronitis

Cultivars
Cultivar is short for cultivated variety. If a person has a superior individual example of a species, natural hybrid or artificial hybrid he may give the plant a cultivar epithet. Cultivar epithets are also given to plants that have been awarded. e.g. Dendrobium Peewee 'Tropical Star' is a cultivar name consisting of the generic name (Dendrobium), the grex epithet (Peewee) and the cultivar epithet (Tropical Star).

The cultivar epithet is not a varietal epithet (which only can apply to a species) and is not a clonal epithet (there is no such thing). Cultivar epithets are not latinised nor are they underlined or italicised. They can be more than one word and are written in lower case letters with each word beginning with a capital letter. The entire epithet is enclosed by single quotation marks.

All vegetative propagations (clones) of this plant are entitled to bear the cultivar epithet, however
if any of these clones are self pollinated, the resultant progeny are not entitled to bear the same cultivar epithet.

An important difference that should be pointed out between varietal epithets and cultivar epithets is that the varietal epithet is given to a race or population of plants that differs in some characteristics from the type species, it can only be applied to a species, never a hybrid.

Cultivar epithets are given to an individual plant, species or hybrid, that has been brought into cultivation, from the wild or has arisen in cultivation as a seedling.

Clones or Cultivars?
When an orchid is vegetatively propagated, ie divided or mericloned, it is being asexually propagated with the result that all propagules (pieces) are (theoretically) genetically identical.

All these propagules, including the original plant, are known as clones. An orchid, be it a seedling or a mature plant, or any other organism, does not become a clone until it has been asexually propagated. People often use the word clone when they mean cultivar.

References
Debenham C., The language of botany, S.G.A.P.
Jacobs H (1993) A name can mean so much, Orchids Australia, December, 1993 A.O.C.
Morrison G. C. (1988) The orchid growers manual, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst NSW
Morrison G. C. (1988) Growing orchids in Australia and New Zealand, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst NSW
Pantzopoulos K. (1995) How to write plant names, Plant form and identification handout, Advanced certificate of horticulture Gordon Technical College, Geelong.