A wide cross in "Liliaceae"

Max Withers maxwithers@gmail.com
Sat, 23 Jun 2012 21:31:05 PDT
An article in last July's Pacific Horticulture about Luther Burbank's
work on Lilies mentioned almost as aside that Burbank successfully
crossed Lilium pardalinum and Trillium ovatum, although he was unable
to propagate the offspring. If I didn't actually gasp, I at least
whistled out loud when I read this, it seemed so unlikely. Further
internet research has reinforced my doubts, as I tracked down the
following chromosome counts:

Lilium pardalinum 2n=24

Trillium ovatum 2n=10

I don't see how such a cross would have been possible, but I have a
feeble grasp of genetics, math, and plant breeding,   Can anyone
correct me?

Best,
Max Withers
Oakland CA



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