196 ORCHID- grower's manual. 



purple. The plant grows best on a block with a good supply 

 of water at the roots in the growing season. There are 

 several varieties, some of which are much better than others. 

 This plant resembles Cattleya marginata in growth and in the 

 size of its flowers. The finest plant I ever saw is in the rich 

 collection of J. Sichel, Esq., Timperley, Cheshire, under the 

 charge of Mr. Stevenson; this frequently bears between 

 twenty and thirty flowers. 



L. purjmrata. — A magnificent Orchid from Brazil ; grows 

 two feet high or more, and has light green foliage. The 

 blossoms are so large and showy as to render this, without 

 exception, one of the finest Orchids in cultivation. There are 

 many varieties of it, all of which are well worth growing, 

 though some are much finer than others. The sepals and 

 petals are pure white, the lip rich dark crimson purple ; but 

 in some of the varieties they are of a light rose colour. It 

 blooms dui'ing May, June, and July, and lasts three weeks 

 in perfection, if the flowers are kept dry. Of this a fine spe- 

 cimen in bloom was exhibited at one of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society's meetings by R. Warner, Esq., Broomfield ; 

 the plant was large, and had about sixty flowers on it. 



L. purpurata Nelisii. — In habit of growth this variety 

 difiers in no respect from the species. The flowers are 

 large ; sepals and petals white tinged with rose on the inside, 

 whilst the sepals only on the outside are of rich rose colour ; 

 Hp large and reddish crimson ; a rare and very beautiful 

 form. Native of Brazil. 



L. purpurata, var. Williamsii. — A splendid kind from 

 Brazil, and certainly one of the finest of the genus for 

 exhibition purposes. The flowers are large, three or four on 

 a spike, each bloom measuring more than five inches across ; 

 sepals and petals beautiful delicate rose ; lip rich crimson, 

 and very large. Blooms in May and June, and continues 



