LALIA ELEGANS BROOMEANA. 
[PuaTe 413.]. 
Native of ‘Santa Catherina, Southern Brazil. 
Epiphytal. Rhizome stout, clinging tightly to the stems and branches of trees, 
and bearing at short intervals erect stem-like pseudobulbs, which are smooth and 
terete when young, becoming ribbed with age, smaller at the base, from one to 
two feet in height, bearing on the apex a pair of w oblong obtuse leaves, 
‘which are from nine inches to a foot in length, thick and leathery in texture, and 
eep green. Peduncle erect, robust, issuing from a large compressed sheath, and 
bearing from three to seven or more flowers, which measure some six inches across. 
Sepals and petals spreading, the sepals oblong-lanceolate, with plain edges, petals much 
broader than the sepals, obovate and lanceolate, with undulated edges, all of an 
intense rich purple, slightly paler towards the base; Jip three-lobed, the basal lobes 
convolute creamy white, the tips reflexed, and heavily marked with rich maroon; 
anterior lobe large and flat, transversely oblong, prettily undulated, deep velvety 
maroon, throat creamy white, streaked with maroon. Column triquete, enclosed, 
white, lightly marked with purplish maroon. 
Laia ELEGANS BroomEana, O’Brien, Gardeners’ Chronicle, v., viii., 3 s., p- 214; 
Grower, The Garden, v. xXxxviii., p- 158. 
The variety of Lelia elegans we here figure is one of a batch introduced a 
few years ago, and of which previously but a few examples existed in our 
collections. Of these Z. Turneri, figured in Warner’s Select Orchidaceous Plants, 
i, t. 12, still remains amongst the rarest, best, and deepest coloured forms, 
Two varieties of these dark-flowered elegans we have already figured in the 
pages of this work, ze, LZ. elegans prasiata, t. 97, which flowered in the 
collection of Baron Schréder, at The Dell, Egham, and ZL. elegans Morreniana, 
t. 331, the latter being a finer one, which flowered in our own collection in 
the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway, and which we ‘think 
was equal in beauty to the variety we now figure, although it differed 
somewhat in the colour of its sepals and petals. Nearly all the dark flowered 
forms of LZ. elegans appear to be autumn bloomers, and a short time since were to 
be seen in excellent condition in the collection of R. H. Measures, Esq., The 
Woodlands, Streatham, where many varieties of this beautiful species are congregated, 
some of them being exceptionally beautiful. Amongst the most striking forms we 
noted were L. elegans Tautziana, L. e. tenebrosa, L. e. Minerva, L. e. melanochetes, 
Ee. Morreniana, and L. e. incantans. Another form which was sent us last 
year, L. elegans Mossie, was superbly beautiful, and these, together with the present 
. variety, form a magnificent group, worthy of all praise. For the opportunity of : 
T £ 
