CATTLEYA LABIATA Zina, PERCIVALIANA Reno. f 
CATTLEYA LABIATA, Lindl. Pseudobulbis fusiformi clavatis varie sulcatis monophyllis, spatha spathisve varie evolutis, pcdunculo uni—trifloro, 
flore maximo expanso membranacco, sepalis ligulatis acutis, tepalis oblongis obtusiusculis varie crispis, labello maximo oblongo varie trilobo, varie crispo, 
columna recta clavata, androclinii apiculo mediano postico ligulato retuso supra antheram flexo, 
CATTLEYA LABIATA, Lindl. Coll. Bot, 33!; Hook. Exotic Fl. iii, 157!; etc. 
Planta inter Orchideas forsan maxime polymorphas pleiochroma, cujus varictates plures sine dubio iconibus nostris illustrabuntur, 
VAR. PERCIVALIANA, Rchb, f. Decembrilis—Martialis, pseudobulbis clavatis modicis, foliis viridissimis crassis, spatha solitaria, floribus uno—quinis, 
labello pulcherrime picto, disco antico saturate purpureo, marginibus vulgo pallidiori, belle crispo, suprapositis areis aurantiacis geminis juxta angulos loborum 
lateralium, parte suprema in zonas longitudinales quinas divisa, zonis externis pallidioribus, medianis lateralibus angustis flaveolis, mediana obscure purpurea 
plus minus aurantiaco radiata, : 
Varictas pulcherrima, Florem album spontaneum labelli disco paulo purpureo flavoque picto tenco ab ex. F, Sander, qui flores loco pulchre exsiccatos 
multos largitus est. 
Photographias multas largitus est b. Percival, Florem pulcherrimum obscurissimum, disco profunde aurantiacum mis, exc. Captain Vipan. 
CATTLEYA LABIATA PERCIVALIANA, Rchb, f, Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1882, xvii, 736, June 17!; Warner, Williams, T. Moore, Orchid Album, iii., 1441. 
\ 
Cho 
Icones analyticae : Columna a latere et antice visa. Anthera antice et postice visa, Pollinaria superne, Pollinarium a latere. Omnia valde aucta. 
HG. Rehb. f. 
When Professor Reichenbach first described this new Cattleya from the dried specimens we sent him, he concluded 
his description with the prediction that, “This Cattleya may prove a source of great enjoyment.” This was four 
years ago. Since then thousands of plants have been distributed, not only in this country but all over Europe and in the 
United States, and much enjoyment has undoubtedly been derived from it, for it has proved to be a most beautiful Orchid, 
extremely variable in colour, and particularly valuable on account of its flowering in the depth of winter. Its introduction 
awakened a good deal of interest among orchidists, who had always been anxious to get a Cattleya that would flower 
during the latter part of the year, so as to fill the breach that occurs between the flowering season of the old autumn 
C. labiata and C. Trianei. C. Percivaliana does this, as it begins to flower in January and continues in bloom till March; 
so that now, since the introduction of C. Gaskelliana, which flowers in late summer and autumn, we have Cattleyas 
flowering the whole year. 
Percival’s Cattleya is no doubt but a geographical form of that extremely variable species C. labiata, which on account 
of its being the first discovered is regarded as the type, but no other member of the group possesses such peculiar charac- 
teristics as Percivaliana. It is so different that no one would mistake it for any other of the labiata section, as is sometimes 
the case with the more nearly allied forms, such as Trianzei, Mossize and Mendelii. It has stout clavate pseudo-bulbs, 
ranging from 6 inches to 12 inches high, and broad, very deep green leaves of thick texture. Each flower-spike bears from 
two to four flowers ; these are small compared with such as C. Trianzei, the largest being only about 6 inches across, but the 
lack of size is compensated for by the colour, which in the labellum is of extraordinary richness. In the finest varieties the 
sepals and petals are of a deep rosy lilac tint ; the colour of the lip is very variable, sometimes it is almost entirely of a 
deep velvety maroon crimson, in others this colour is mixed with golden yellow, while some varieties have the lips almost 
wholly yellow, interwoven with dark lines, and these last have been named aurantiaca. From the deepest tinted forms there 
is every intermediate shade to a pure white, of which latter there were but a very few plants imported ; of these one died, 
and two were, till this year, in the Percival collection. This albino is chastely beautiful, the flower being of perfect 
form with only a stain of yellow on the lip to mar its purity. It is a singv . sact that the flowering season of this 
Cattleya varies in different latitudes. In its native haunts it flowers in October, in the United States of America it begins 
to bloom in November, in France in December, while in England the flowering season does not commence till January. 
The first time it flowered in this country was in the middle of November, 1882. 
This Orchid is found at high altitudes in Venezuela, extending sometimes to over 4,000 feet, and invariably grows 
on rocks, not on trees ; moreover, it is always in full exposure to the sun, generally in the vicinity of river courses, which 
in the rainy season afford abundant moisture to the plants. It may therefore be termed a rock Orchid and consequently 
pot culture is best for it. It should be grown in a sunny position, as it needs all the light we can give it in this country, 
and it should never be heavily shaded. During March it must be kept dry, indeed not a single drop of water 
should be given, in order to conduce to the thorough ripening of the bulbs, for this, as in the case of all other Cattleyas, 
is the chief consideration. 
It was named in compliment to the late Mr. Percival, who was an enthusiastic admirer and excellent cultivator of 
Cattleyas, and is a discovery of our collector, F. Arnold. 
Drawn by permission of Lord Rothschild, from a plant in the Tring Park Collection, 
