TAR. 720. 
CATTLEYA rnrtcotor. 
Native of South America. 
Nat. Ord. Oncu1pEa.—Tribe Ep1IpENDREA. 
Genus Cartieya, Lindl. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. iii. p. 531). 
‘\ 
Catttera iricolor; caulibus fusiformi-clavatis demum sulcatis multicostatis 
monophyllis, folio pedali lineari-oblongo apice emarginato, racemo 
2-3-flore, pedunculo brevi robusto spatha oblonga basi obtecto, bracteis 
brevibus late triangularibus, sepalis lineari-oblanceolatis acutis laterali- 
bus petalisque consimilibus subundulatis lacteis roseo obscure suffusis, 
labelli tubo longiusculo limbo mediocri tubo paullo latiore, lobis laterali- 
bus brevibus macula sanguinea notatis, terminali late ovato-oblongo 
obtuso undulato y. subcrispato apice rotundato medio et basin versus 
sanguineo striato intus aureo striato, columna incurva crassiuscula, apice 
incurvo cucullato, anthera quadrata 3-loba, connectivo loculo parvo 
multoties majore apice 2-lobo. 
C. iricolor, Reich. f. in Gard. Chron. 1874, vol. ii. p. 162; Veitch. Man. 
Orchid. part ii. (Cattleya and Laelia) p. 40. 
_ A singular interest attaches to this fine plant, in that it 
is, and has apparently been for many years (it was first 
published in 1874), the only known specimen in existence, 
and no one can tell what country it came from. Messrs. 
Veitch, in their invaluable Manual, say of it: ‘The 
only plant ever introduced of this very distinct Cattleya 
was acquired by us many years ago, at one of the Orchid 
Sales at Stevens’s rooms, where it was sold without a 
specific name, and without any information of its origin. 
The plant is remarkable for the length of its leaves in 
proportion to the height of its stems.” ; 
Unfortunately there is nothing in the character of 
C. iricolor that, by showing a very close affinity with any 
other species whose native country is known, would serve 
_to indicate its own; and the genus has an immense range, 
from the middle of Mexico in lat. 20° N., to Ecuador on 
the Western side of South America, and to South Brazil 
on the Hastern. And so too have some of the species, 
Arrit Isr, 1893. 
