LA-LIO-CATTLEYA ELEGANS pos. 
VAR. BLENHEIMENSIS ‘Sander. 
A supposed natural hybrid between Cattleya guttata and Lelia purpurata, and nearly intermediate in character. The vegetative organs are inter- 
mediate in character, sometimes having one, sometimes two leaves on the pseudo-bulb. The flowers vary according as the characters of one or the other 
parent preponderate, the lip sometimes being nearly entire as in L. purpurata, though generally strongly 3-lobed as in C. guttata. The pollinia are very 
unequal, as in all hybrids between the two genera. 
L&Lio-CATTLEYA ELEGANS, Rolfe in Gard. Chron., July 20, 1889, p. 78. 
CATTLEYA ELEGANS, Morr. in Ann. de Gand, IV. (1848), p. 93, t. 185 ; Pescatorea, t. 23; Bot. Mag, t. 4700 ; Ill. Hort, XI, t. 402. 
LALIA ELEGANS, Rchb, f. in Otto & Dietr. Allg. Gartenz., XXIII. (1855), p. 242; Puydt Orch,, t. 21. 
BLETIA ELEGANS, Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann, VI. (1861), p. 427. 
La.ia Brystana, Lem. in Ill. Hort, IV. (1857), t. 134. 
L. GIGANTEA, Warn., ex Proc. Roy. Hort. Soc,, II. (1862), p. 247; Warn. Sel. Orch,, ser. 1, t. 6. 
L. TuRNERI, Warn. Sel. Orch,, ser. 1, t. 12. ; ; 
VAR. BLENHEIMENSIS, Sander, sepalis pallidis margine roseo-purpureis, petalis intense roseo-purpureis, lobo medio labelli atropurpureis, lobis 
lateralibus roseo-purpureis, disco pallide luteo, 
Lzelio-Cattleya elegans, or, as it is better known in gardens, Lelia elegans, is now generally admitted to be a natural hybrid between Cattleya guttata 
and Lelia purpurata, and should, therefore, be placed in that group of bigeneric hybrids for which the name Lzelio-Cattleya has been proposed. There seems 
the more reason for this course, as the Nomenclature Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society has recently recommended that bigeners shall receive a 
generic name formed by combining the names of the parent genera—a course long ago proposed by Dr. Masters for a hybrid raised between Philesia and 
Lapageria, and by me applied to Orchids in a paper read before the Linnean Society in 1887 (Journ. Linn, Soc. XXIV., pp. 156—170, t. 4). The attempt to 
refer them to either of the parent genera only involves us in all kinds of inconsistencies, and may well be abandoned. As long ago as 1848 this hybrid first 
made its appearance in Europe, when it received the name of Cattleya elegans, its hybrid origin not being suspected till afterwards. Since then it has been 
imported in considerable numbers, and like other hybrids has proved extremely variable. A second natural hybrid, however, has been confused with it, viz., 
that between Lelia purpurata and Cattleya intermedia. L, elegans varieties alba, Schilleriana, and Stelzneriana belong here, but the name “elegans” should be 
dropped for them ; they should be referred to Lelio-Cattleya Schilleriana—a name intended to cover all hybrids between Lelia purpurata and Cattleya 
intermedia, From the numbers in which our hybrid has been imported and the area over which it is found it is pretty evident that it may occur wherever the 
two parent species are growing together. Doubts have been expressed of its hybrid origin on these very grounds, but the evidence is too strong to be set 
aside except on stronger grounds than these. Will no one make a few experiments, and thus clear the matter up ? R.A. Rolfe. 
Icones analytic. Labellum. Columna fronte et a latere visa. Pollinia a latere visa. 
Tuis grand variety was introduced by us and first flowered in the collection of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, and 
has been named in commemoration of the historical palace and estate of Blenheim. Few kinds of this varied plant 
are equal in beauty to the magnificent form here figured, the flowers of which are unusually large and of great substance. 
The sepals and petals are spreading, broad, fleshy, and of a rich deep rose colour. The lip is distinguished by a breadth 
not frequently met with in Lelia elegans, and is beautifully fringed round the edge of the middle lobe, the colour of 
which is deep crimson-purple. 
A great sensation was created when the Duke's plant first flowered in this country. It was then an entire 
specimen just as it had been taken from the precipitous sea-bound rocks of Brazil; but its silvery-sheathed, new- 
flowering pseudo-bulbs, and large dark glossy evergreen, thick, leathery leaves and glorious inflorescences, were 
developed in his Grace’s orchid houses at Blenheim. When all the blossoms of this gorgeous plant were first unfolded 
it presented a dazzling blaze of colour which cannot be imagined by looking at the portrait of a single spike. From the 
probable hybrid origin of Lzelia elegans, and the very small area in which it is found growing in a wild state, combined 
with the diligent search by collectors to obtain it, there is a probable danger of this glorious orchid becoming extinct in 
its native habitat. From the time of its first discovery in 1847, by Devos, a Belgian traveller, many consignments have 
reached Europe, and many collectors have risked their lives in being let down by ropes to gather plants from the 
almost inaccessible rocks. Such exceptional kinds as L. elegans Measuresiana, L. e. Tautziana, and L. e. Blenheimensis 
have been obtained in this manner by our travellers. A sight of such floral gems in full blossom has abundant 
fascination to prompt an ardent collector to risk his life—probably the danger is often thought little of; yet these 
specimens, perched away on lofty ledges and boulders, are generally left untouched when plants are to be had more 
easily. Hence the very great difficulty of now getting large plants of the true old dark-flowered, long-bulbed varieties. 
Lzelia elegans is best grown in baskets in a rather sunny, moist position of the Cattleya house, suspended near the 
glass, in a temperature of 65 to 70 deg. F. in winter ; in the summer the temperature may rise much higher. The plants 
are unlike Cattleyas, and should never be allowed to become thoroughly dry. Lzelia elegans makes two growths during 
the year, and is extremely variable in its time of flowering. After the blooming season is over, the plant may be kept 
slightly drier for about a month. 
