Message: 3 Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 16:07:11 -0400 From: "Duane & Judy Erdmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [OGD] natural hybridization To: <orchids@orchidguide.com> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I am wondering why we don't see more natural hybridization between orchid species. I'd appreciate an explanation and/or some guidance on which reference(s) might shed some light on this. Thanks
Duane,
Maybe, those pollinators are not as stupid as we would like to believe they are ... and if that "theory" is right ... they would be very specific in their pollination efforts and only make the odd mistake.
Also, natural hybrids may merge into a parental population ... if there would be a backcross on that parent then, after one or two generations, we would not recognise there has been hybridisation anymore and we would put the variant within the "normal width of a natural population" (as I put it once) ... But that too is only an educated guess.
regards Guido
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