[rr] 
CATT IL E YA DOW if A N JN Batm. A U R E A Warner, Williams, T. Moore. 
CATTLEYA DowIANa, Batm.: pseudobulbis fusiformi clavatis varie sulcatis monophyllis, folio cuneato oblongo ligulato acuto, spatha una obtusa, 
pedunculo 1—4 floro, flore maximo expanso membranaceo, sepalis ligulatis acutis, tepalis oblongis obtusiusculis bene crispulis, labello maximo oblongo varie 
trilobo, varie crispo, columna recta clavata, androclinii apiculo postico ligulato supra antheram flexo, sepalis tepalisque aurantiacis, labello purpureo-violaceo 
luteo radiatim venoso, columna lutea. 
CATTLEYA LAWRENCEANA, Warsew. ! 
CaTTLEyA DowrAna, Batm. Gard. Chron., 1866, 922, Nr. 337! Hook. Bot. Mag., xciii, 1867, 5618! Van Houtte Flore des Serres, xvi, 1709, 1710! 
Lemaire III. Hort, xiv., 525 ! Morr. Belg. Hort, 1869, 193! Warner Select. Orch. Pl. IL. 27 ; fid. Williams, Man., ed. 6, 180! 
Found by Warscewicz in Costa Rica, who praised it as his best discovery. Hence he dedicated it as testimony of tl 
the mother of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, M.P., P.R.H.S. Numerous dried specimens are at hand from Messrs. Dr, Farris, C 
A: sepalis tepalisque sulphureis, labello vulgo multo magis flavo reticulato, 
AUREA, Linden, III. Hort. 1881, 80! 
A DOWIANA AUREA, Warner, Williams, Moore, Orchid Album, IL, tab. 84! 
Discovered near Frontino by the late Gustav Wallis when travelling for M. Linden. 
ighest respect to Lady Lawrence, 
armiol, Lehmann, E. Klaboch. 
THERE arose a great dispute about the dignity of this plant as a species. It is, indeed, very near Cattleya Dowiana. A 
few days before his premature death the late Mr. Percival sent me a flower, that by its copper-yellowish tinge verged nearer 
to Cattleya Dowiana than any I had seen, and than the added flower of common Cattleya aurea. It is, however, much in 
the interest of the orchidist to know which of the two he buys, as it is well known, the variety represented is less capricious 
in growing than the typical plant. ff. G. Rehb. f. 
Among the numerous Cattleyas that inhabit the forests of tropical America, there are two that differ from all the 
rest in respect of colour. One of these is the subject of our present plate, the other is C. Dowiana. So far as can be 
ascertained up to the present time, the homes of these two Cattleyas are separated by at least a thousand miles, but not- 
withstanding this they cannot but be regarded as geographical forms of one species, and as C. Dowiana was discovered 
first it must be considered as the type. No other Cattleyas are so gorgeously coloured as these, and in the flowers of no 
other Orchid is there found such peculiar harmony of hues, so that they are justly regarded as representing the highest types 
of Orchid beauty. C. Dowiana was first discovered in Costa Rica by the traveller Warscewicz about the year 1850, but 
his few plants never flowered. His descriptions of this superb Cattleya were doubted at the time, but ten years 
later it was the good fortune of Mr. Arce, a naturalist collecting birds for Messrs. Skinner and Salvin, to re-discover 
this Orchid in the forests of Costa Rica. Live plants were successfully imported to this country, and in 1865 the first 
flowers of it expanded, revealing a more splendid Orchid than had ever been seen in Europe. It was named C. Dowiana 
by Mr. Bateman in compliment to Captain Dow, who acted as a friend to all naturalists travelling on his steamboat. 
* About the year 1868 Gustav Wallis, a well-known botanical collector, discovered a similar Cattleya when travelling 
in the province of Antioquia, near the town of Frontino.- This plant after it flowered in Europe was named C. aurea on 
account of its golden-tinted sepals and yellow pencilled lip. A few years later, Butler, collecting for Messrs. Backhouse, 
of York, and our collectors Schmidtchen and Hennis, found the same Cattleya growing in company with C. Warsce- 
wiczii gigas on the Cordillera to the west of the Upper Magdalena in New Grenada. The accounts agree in its being 
but sparingly met with, and C. Dowiana also is said to be a rare plant in its native haunts. The chief difference between 
the two plants lies in the colour of the flowers ; but they also vary in growth, C. Dowiana having a shorter and darker bulb 
than aurea, the latter being, moreover, a freer growing plant. The flowers of C. Dowiana often have the sepals stained 
with crimson streaks and splashes, whereas in aurea they are entirely yellow. The lip also of aurea is yellow while in 
Dowiana the ground colour is crimson, pencilled only with coppery-yellow. The size of the flowers of both is much the 
same, but aurea is considered to be more floriferous than Dowiana. The pseudo-bulbs are about a foot in height, terminated 
by broad thick leaves. The flower spikes bear from two to four flowers, produced during summer and autumn. 
The culture of both C. Dowiana and aurea is perplexing to most Orchid growers. Both have the reputation of being 
difficult to grow and flower well. Where, however, C. Warscewiczii gigas is grown well, these will succeed under similar 
conditions. They thrive best in suspended wood baskets, which should be half filled with drainage material. The soil 
should consist of fibrous peat and sphagnum mixed with charcoal and potsherds. The baskets should be hung in an airy 
part of the house and in the light, but shaded from strong direct sunlight. The greatest care is required in watering, for in 
the due observance of this lies the secret of growing these Cattleyas successfully. Water must be given sparingly while the 
plants are at rest, which is from about August to January or February. They then begin to form new growths and require 
a few more degrees of heat, and a moister atmosphere. Throughout February, March and April the night tempe- 
rature should range from 60 deg. to 65 deg. F.,and when the sun carries the thermometer higher during the day a moist 
atmosphere must be maintained, and there should be a good circulation of air. After April the new growths will be matur- 
ing, and during the three months following thin shading will be needed over the plants on bright days. Water should 
then be gradually withheld, and none given during the resting period. The best time to pot or basket is January, and care 
should be taken so as not to injure the old roots during the operation. 
In its native country C. aurea is peculiarly liable to be attacked by a beetle which destroys the roots, hence greatly 
impairing the growth of the plants, and this may be the reason why large specimens of this Cattleya are not imported, as 
of other Cattleyas. It is singular that C. Warscewiczii gigas, which grows with aurea, is exempt from the attacks of 
this beetle. Cultivated plants of aurea are often preyed upon by the beetles, imported with the plants, but they may 
be destroyed by immersing the plants in a strong infusion of tobacco. 
Drawn by permission of Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, M.P., from a plant in the Waddesdon collection. 
