across, with narrow sepals whose edges curve back, and broad petals with a wavy 
margin. Sepals and petals are rosy-lilac, while the lip, whose side lobes curl 
inwards and whose front lobe is spreading and wavy-edged, is a rich reddish- 
purple veined with lilac. It flowers in Winter, the blooms lasting three to four 
weeks. This species must have ample sunlight all the year round. It grows 
naturally upon the high, rocky, sea washed cliffs round Rio de Janiero, and is 
exposed to the full rays of the sun all the year round. 
Syn. L. Boothiana and Cattleya lobata. 
LAELIA MONOPHYLLA. Native of Jamaica. 
The pigmy of the Laelias, with pseudobulbs about as thick as a dance pencil and 
from 3 to 5 inches tall. They are greyish-green, spotted with red. Leaves are 
solitary, leathery, deep green in colour, and narrow and blunted in shape. Flowers 
appear singly on a short scape, and are up to 2 inches in width. They are a vivid 
orange-scarlet in colour, the tip of the column being purple and eye-like over 
the short, yellow lip whose base sheaths the column. Flowers in late Spring. 
Treatment as for the second group. 
LAELIA PERRINII. Native of Brazil. 
Another species of the second group. The flattened pseudobulbs are stout and 
grow from 6 inches to 9 inches, topped with a single dark green leaf up to 9 
inches in length. The erect scapes carry two to five flowers, each about 5 inches 
in width, and somewhat flattened in appearance. Sepals and petals are rosy-purple 
tipped with magenta. Lip has small, pale purple side lobes, front lobe pointed and 
reflexed, a rich purple in colour, the throat being blotched with yellow. Flowers in 
Autumn, blooms lasting about a fortnight. 
Var. alba.—Pure white. 
Var. irrorata.—Sepals and petals pale rose, lip white tipped with lilac, the disk 
pale yellow. 
Var. nivea—White, slightly tinged with yellow on the disk. 
LAELIA PRAESTANS. 
One of the varieties of L. pumila (q.v.). 
LAELIA PUMILA. Native of Brazil. 
A variable and dwarf growing species of the second group with thin, round pseudo- 
bulbs 3 to 5 inches long topped with a single oblong, green leaf about as long 
as the stems. Flowers are produced singly and are about 4 inches across. The 
lanceolate sepals and ovate inch-wide petals are rose-purple. The side lobes of 
the lip fold over, while the front lobe is spreading. The lip is rose-purple, the 
tip of the front lobe being maroon, while the throat is decorated with a number 
of parallel ridges. Flowers in Autumn. Lasts about a fortnight. 
Var. Dayana.—Has purple border and dark veins. 
Var. praestans.—Larger and brighter coloured. 
196. 
