CATTLEYA MAXIMA MARCHETTIANA. 
[PraTE 404.] 
Native of Ecuador and Northern Peru. 
Epiphytal.  Pseudobulbs clavate, from nine to twelve inches high, slightly 
compressed, bearing a single leaf, somewhat oblong in shape, some five inches long, 
and two inches broad, thick and fleshy in texture, and pale green. Scape erect, 
bearing numerous flowers, the flowers individually are about five inches across ; 
upper sepal oblong-acute with smooth edges, lateral ones slightly larger, faleate ; 
petals broader than the sepals, with waved edges, all of a rich crimson-lake, 
streaked with lines of a paler hue; lip three lobed, the front lobe emarginate, 
much frilled, or crisp on the edge, with a broad streak of yellow in the centre, 
together with several radiating streaks of the same colour in the throat, the 
ground colour being beautiful crimson-lake with lighter streaks, and having a 
marginal border of white. Colwmn slender, white. 
CarTLeyaA maxima, Lindley Genera and Species of Orechidaceous Plants, p. 116; 
Botanical Magazine, t. 4902: Illustration Horticole, t. 29; Xenia Orchidacea i, 
t. 95.  Wilhams’ Orchid Grower's Manual, 6 ed., p. 189. 
EpmpenDRUM MAXIMUM, Xenia Orchidacea, ii., p. 29. 
CATTLEYA MAXIMA MARCHETTIANA, supra. 
This Cattleya, to which the name maxima does not apply in the year of 
grace, 1890, is a native of Ecuador and Northern Peru, and was first discovered 
by Ruiz and Pavon upwards of a century ago. It was from the flowers 
collected by these two Spanish botanists, that afterwards came into the hands of 
Dr. Lindley, that the plant was named and described; but it was not until about 
the year 1844 that it first came under our notice. We used, in those times, Fats 
consider it a very pretty species, but during the last few years, the native 
habitats of the orchidaceous plants of South America have been 80 thoroughly 
searched, that this species, as well as others, have yielded many votstntal which 
prove to be superior in colour to the typical species; one form called Cattleya 
maxima Backhousiana we have already figured in these pages, at Vol. v., t. 198. This 
is a beautiful and richly coloured form of this now well-known species, and a 20 still 
rare in collections, but the variety here depicted, as a glance at our illustration will 
show, is far superior to that in the richness and colouring of its flowers ; and the 
fact of its being so thoroughly distinct from any other Cattleya, =_ = 
render it a great acquisition to the family to which it belongs. : a 
The specimen whose portrait we here have the pleasure of laying before weed om : 
was flowered by G. Marchetti, Esq., of Manor Heath, Halifax, and to whom we have — 
much pleasure in dedicating such a splendid variety. It is the first = md 
