Kay Francis Photo Gallery: Laeliocattleya Tethys
Parentage: C. Annie J. Lines × Lc. Ardentissima
Current Nomenclature: Cattleya Tethys
Kay usually called this hybrid Cattleya Tethys, even though at the time it was correctly a Laeliocattleya. Many cultivars are mentioned in her notes. At some point in the (early?) 1960's, she had a Tethys with a cross number 364 from Armacost & Royston (KF VII / A / 1 p. 2). The same inventory (p. 5) lists Tethys 'Fire Opal', which, according to a separate record (KF VII / B / p. 4) she obtained from Stewart's in 1956 or 1957. She also obtained an example with an Armacost & Royston cross number 4862 on December 20, 1956, with two "lovely flowers" and two buds that apparently had opened by December 27 of that year (KF VII / B / p. 12). She had another example from the Orchid Company of Altadena, which she purchased with two "excellent" flowers October 20, 1956 (KF VII / B / p. 14). Later, she made note of a cultivar 'Goliath', apparently awarded "best of show", but the venue was not specified has not been discovered. Finally, she obtained cultivars 'Midnight' and 'Ruby' from Jerry Kulaja in June, 1967 and June, 1968, respectively.
