Ascohr Newsletter June 2010 Advisory Sub-Committee on Orchid Hybrid Registration

AsCOHR Newsletter June 2010 Advisory Sub-Committee on Orchid Hybrid Registration

Registration fee increase AsCOHR: why and who? • Mr Ian Chalmers, Australia From 1st January 2010 the The purpose of this sub-committee is • Dr Phillip Cribb, UK registration fee increased to to advise the RHS in matters relating • Mr Munekazu Ejiri, Japan (JOGA) £10.00 per application. This to orchid nomenclature and taxonomy • Dr John Elliott, Singapore (OSSEA) is the first price increase for and their application to the • Mr Peter Furniss, USA 20 years, necessitated by the International Register of Orchid • Dr Robert Griesbach, USA economic downturn and Hybrids (Sander’s List), for which the • Mr Peter Hunt, UK rising costs. RHS is the International Cultivar • Mrs Liz Johnson, UK (McBean’s Registration Authority (ICRA) Orchids) The RHS subsidises plant appointed by the International Society • Dr Ron McHatton, USA (AOS) name registration as part of for Horticultural Science (ISHS). • Mr Chris Purver, Jersey (Eric Young its charitable purpose; Orchid Foundation) however, there is a limit to The sub-committee reports to ACONAT • Mr Frank Röllke, Germany the extent that it can (the Advisory Committee on (Roellkeorchideenzucht) subsidise any one item, when Nomenclature and Taxonomy). • Mrs Joyce Stewart, UK (WOC Trust) it is such a large organisation ACONAT advises the RHS on all with diverse interests in the aspects of plant nomenclature and Dr Janet Cubey, UK, Chairman of the world of horticulture. taxonomy, particularly the names used Commission for Nomenclature and in the RHS Plant Finder, an annual Cultivar Registration of the Those involved in financial index of plants available through International Society for Horticultural planning and budgeting horticulture in the UK, which has come Science (ISHS), Secretary to the have set a target of a 75% to be regarded as setting the standard Editorial Committee for the cost recovery rate for orchid for horticultural plant names. International Code of Nomenclature registration and the price The membership of AsCOHR is drawn for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), and the increase is a step towards from RHS members from around the RHS Chief Horticultural Data that goal. It is likely there globe who are botanists, professional Development Manager, who has will be a further modest fee growers or hobbyists with a particular oversight of all RHS ICRA registers and increase in 2011. The dollar interest in orchids. The sub-committee horticultural databases, also attends equivalent price is reviewed meets twice-yearly in London, UK, the meetings. annually, based on the usually in May during the Chelsea average daily exchange rate Flower Show week and in the late Other RHS staff members attending over the past six months. It autumn. are Mr Richard Sanford as the is currently set at $16.50 per meticulous Minute Secretary, and Mr application. The members are currently: Julian Shaw, the International Orchid Hybrid Registrar. • Mr Johan Hermans, UK (Chairman) • Prof. Mark Chase, UK (Vice Chairman)

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Dollar payments Generic boundaries in Oncidiinae • Leochilus retained Due to increasing bank With the publication last autumn of • Macradenia retained charges the cost to the RHS Genera Orchidacearum volume 5, the • Maxillaria splits into Maxillaria s.str., to cash a US dollar cheque May 2010 meeting of AsCOHR will be Brasiliorchis, Camaridium, now well exceeds the value the time to review the changes in Christensonella, Inti, Mapinguari, of a single registration fee. generic boundaries and make a Maxillariella, Nitidobulbon, Consequently, the RHS is decision on their implementation in Ornithidium, Rhetinanthe unable to accept dollar the Register. A short summary of the • Miltonia includes Phymatochilum, cheques for single applica- anticipated changes is provided below. exclude Miltoniopsis tions. Payment of the fee by • Miltoniopsis separated from Miltonia credit card is the preferred • Ada includes Brassiopsis and Brassia • Odontoglossum no longer used; form of remittance. It also glumacea genus split between Cuitlauzina, avoids the need to issue • Baptistonia included in Gomesa Cyrtochilum, Oncidium, Rhynchostele, credit notes. Later in 2010 • Caucaea expanded to include some Rossioglossum the RHS is switching over to Oncidium • Oncidium expanded to include most an improved, more secure • Cischweinfia retained of Odontoglossum, Sigmatostalix, software system for process- • Cochlioda included in Oncidium Symphyglossum, Mexicoa, ing credit card payments to • Comparettia retained Miltonioides, Collare-stuartense meet new UK government • Cuitlauzina, including Osmoglossum, • Otoglossum includes Onc. financial industry standards. removed from Odontoglossum globuliferum, Onc. arminii, etc. This means that cards will be • Cyrtochilum expanded by transfer • Psychopsis includes Psychopsiella charged the same day that from Odontoglossum subgenus and transfers from Oncidium the registration is made, Serratolamnia, and subgenus • Rhynchostele includes Amparoa, rather than at the end of the Ungisepala Cymbiglossum, Lemboglossum, calendar month as currently. • Erycina includes Psygmorchis Mesoglossum • Gomesa expanded to include • Rodriguezia retained Baptistonia, Binotia, Rodrigueziella, • Rossioglossum includes Ticoglossum, Rodrigueziopsis, and many Brazilian Chelyorchis Oncidium species • Tolumnia transfers from Oncidium • Hofmeisterella retained • Trichocentrum, transfers from • Ida replaced by Sudamerlycaste. Oncidium Final transfers made by Archila M., F. • Trichopilia retained 2009. Sudamerlycaste Archila, • Vitekorchis includes Onc. excavatum Addendum et corrigendum, 3. • Zelenkoa transfer from Oncidium Richardiana 10(1):21–28 • Ionopsis retained

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The online version of the Orchid Hybrid Register The register may be searched online at http://apps.rhs.org.uk/ horticulturaldatabase/orchidregister/ orchidregister.asp

Additional new information on registering orchid hybrids, and the rules governing grex names can now be found at www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant- science/Plant-registration/Orchids

Application forms can be downloaded from this site in English, Japanese and Portuguese.

During the last year there have been some adjustments to the data displayed on the on-line version of the register. A erroneous message that it is a natural end of 2011, pending continued generic synonym is now displayed, so that hybrid. Information on species names software development. This is expected hybrids previously listed as, for example, should be sought from the International to include the notes field, which x Brassolaeliocattleya show this name Plant Names Index (IPNI; www.ipni.org) contains literature references and as a synonym under the current generic or the Kew World Monocots checklist information on the grex name. A placement, usually x Rhyncholaelio- (http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do). further much needed innovation is to cattleya. There is also an indication if a make the register searchable by grex name is accepted or regarded as a One of the problems with the synonyms. This would enable one to synonym. This is particularly useful in implementation of new generic search for a hybrid by its old name such situations where there has been a boundaries is the creation of numerous as x Sophrolaeliocattleya, duplicate registration, or where in the homonyms, that is, cases where the x Brassolaeliocattleya or the soon to past several names have been used for same name is used for several different disappear favourite Odontoglossum. the same hybrid. Also the name of the hybrids. As these come to light the year This search facility has the obvious registrant or originator is now shown in of registration or publication is added advantage of enabling names in older full, rather than an abbreviated form. after the grex epithet in parentheses to literature to found easily, and avoids Natural hybrid names are also indicated help distinguish them. In cases where using the new names for those who as such. It should be noted that the homonyms have the same date they are prefer traditional nomenclature, or may hybrid register is not designed to numbered (1), (2), etc. have doubts about molecular provide information on species names. taxonomy and cladistics. Consequently, entering a species name It is planned to make more data and in the grex name search will result in an new searches available, hopefully by the

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Significant developments in the history taken up by E.F. André in 1875, and is now the 1960. RHS hosts 3rd World Orchid Conference in of orchid hybrids and their registration standard method for forming botanical hybrid London. Negotiations then resulted in transfer of As 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of RHS generic names. Orchid list compilation to RHS, who also took on operation of the register of orchid hybrids, the Marjorie Wreford as staff. following list of noteworthy events has been 1891. Kew botanist Robert Rolfe begins to included. A short history of orchid registration publish The Orchid Review, and commenced 1961. RHS commences orchid registration work. was published in Orchids (American Orchid listing new orchid hybrids with the first issue. ORAC (Orchid Registration Advisory Committee) Society Magazine) 71(6): 540–543 (June 2002). formed – now called ASCOHR (Advisory Sub 1897. x Sophrolaeliocattleya named. First tri- Committee on Orchid Hybrid Registration). 1847. William Herbert reported that he obtained generic hybrid formula name in orchids. pods from his cross-pollination of Orchis x Ophrys, 1969. Marjorie Wreford's health failing, RHS but failed to collect and sow the seeds as he was 1906. First Sander's list of orchid hybrids appears. takes on Doreen Hunt temporarily to compile away. (Journ. Hort. Soc. 2: 104) (Sander's had been publishing Orchid Guides for register. some time. These gradually contained more and 1853. John Dominy, who worked for James more hybrids, until the 1906 list.) 1970. Marjorie Wreford retires. RHS employs Jack Veitch, began to artificially cross-pollinate orchids Greatwood as registrar. deliberately attempting to produce new hybrids. 1910. E.A. Bowles proposes use of -ara suffix for quadrigeneric names (e.g. x Potinara instead of x 1990 Feb. Greatwood retires. Doreen Hunt takes 28 Oct 1856. James Veitch shows hybrid Calanthe Brassolaeliocattlionitis). It was officially adopted over as registrar, inheriting a backlog of about six flower to Dr Lindley. (Gard. Chron. 1858: 4) into the Botanical Code in 1950. months’ applications. Computerisation of register commences. Aug 1859. Five Cattleya hybrid plants exhibited 1911. Rolfe & Hurst, The Orchid Stud-Book at Horticultural Society meeting. appears. Lists all known orchid hybrids to 1907. 31 Mar 1992. Peter Hunt took early retirement and joined Doreen as List compiler. Dec 1859. FCC awarded by Horticultural Society 1946. "Complete" list published by Frederick for Cattleya x Veitchii. Sander. (He was actually somewhat selective and 7 Nov 1992. Backlog of registrations cleared. declined to include a number of foreign hybrids, Computerisation completed. 24 Aug 1865. First recorded flowering of orchid particularly from Germany) hybrid in France, Cattleya Auguste Rivière. (J. Soc. Jan/Feb 2001. Peter and Doreen Hunt retire. Imp. Cent. Hort. 12: 268–291, May 1866) 1953. W.T. Stearn, first International Code of Present registrar and assistant take up posts. Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants published. 1871. First known list of orchid hybrids published Term ‘grex’ introduced. Oct 2009. Eighth edition of ICNCP (International by F.W. Burbidge (1847–1905) listing 17 hybrids. Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants) From 1871 onwards, Gardeners’ Chronicle begins 1957. Sander’s introduce an application form published, introducing new taxonomic rank for to list all new orchid hybrids. and a registration fee (5/-, 25p). grex, formally providing for naming of Groups within a grex. 1872. Maxwell T. Masters (then editor of 1960. Two-volume list of hybrids issued by David Gardeners’ Chronicle) introduced first hybrid Sander, who along with his assistant, Marjorie 2010. Fiftieth Anniversary of RHS operation of formula name for bi-generic hybrid (x Philageria Wreford, estimated it took 50,000 hours from International Register of Orchid Hybrids.. for Lapageria x Philesia, a non-orchid). This was 1952 to compile..

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