 |
" Vic Przetocki of Perth, Western Australia sent me details of a hybrid he had done (Vriesea 'Infatuation') where he used Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana'. His description of Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' did not match the parentage as stated in the International Checklist (1979) by Padilla of (heterostachys x simplex) Note that parentage is not given in Flora Neotropica (1977) p1272 nor in Bromeliaceen (1962) by Richter so where did it come from? Vic's plant had leaves that were spotted suggesting Vriesea saundersii as a probable parent. This had me contacting Bill Morris who has been growing Bromeliads in Australia since the 1950's. Bill has a good memory and remembered importing this Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' from David Barry Jr. The Bromeliad Society Bulletin 1954 #3 and #4 shows that David Barry Jr brought back Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' from the Munich Botanic Gardens. In 1997 I contacted Josef Bogner, Curator at the Munich Botanic Gardens and Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' is still growing there. Alas, he was unable to advise parentage and he was unable to find any reference in any publication other than Richter's Bromeliaceen. So we were no further forward. We know that Billbergia 'Hoelscheriana' was done by Kittel in 1898 so it is highly probable that Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' came from the same era and the same hybridist. If we were guessing at parentage we would suggest V. saundersii and V. guttata because both were popular with hybridists in this era and both have traits that are seen in Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana'.
For other information see Vriesea 'Kitteliana'
" |
Back To
Uncle Derek Says Index
Photo Credits:
Vriesea 'Hoelscheriana' - Vic Przetocki