LAELIA PRASTANS. 
[PLaTE 433.] 
Native of Santa Catarina, Brazil. 
Epiphytal. A dwarf slender-growing plant, forming a horizontal rhizome, from 
which proceed roots on the lower side, and above small terete pseudobulbs, which 
are clothed with sheathing scales; they are oblong, marked with slightly depressed 
parallel lines, some two inches in length, and bearing on ‘the apex a single lead 
which is linear oblong, coriaceous in texture, about five inches in length, and one 
inch in breadth, deep green. Peduncle arising from a large sheath at the base of 
the leaf, and #bearing a single flower which measures some four inches or more 
across. Sepals oblong, acute, spreading; petals ovate, much broader than the 
sepals, all of a rich deep rosy purple; Jip large, three-lobed, thick and fleshy 
texture, trumpet-shaped, the side lobes enclosing the column and overlapping, middle 
lobe reflexed, deep rich purple, the throat orange-yellow. Column triquete. 
Laria prastans, Reichenbach fil, Flore des Serres, xviii., t. 1900. Botanical 
Magazine, t. 5498. Bateman’s 2nd Century Orchidaceous Plants, t. 128. 
Reichenbachia, series ii., vol. i, t. 6. 
CATTLEYA PUMILA MAJOR, Illustration Horticole, t. 193. 
BLETIA PR&STANS, Lteichenbach, Xenia Orchiducea, ii., t. 114. Walper’s Annales, 
Botanices Systematice, vi., ; 
The plant here depicted is somewhat rare in collections; there appears 
however, to be some differences of opinion respecting its specific distinction. Some 
authors make this to be only a variety of Lelia pumila, which is variously known 
as Cattleya pumila, C. marginata, C. Pinelii, C. spectabilis, etc., ete., but we 
think there is sufficient character about it to warrant us in adopting the specific 
distinction given it by Reichenbach in the first instance. It is now about fifty 
years ago since the plant was first introduced to European gardens, having been 
found growing upon the stems and branches of trees in Santa Catarina, at some 
2,000 to 2,500 feet elevation. The specimen from which our illustration was taken, 
flowered with us in our own establishment, the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, in 
the month of October, in the year 1890; and we have frequently observed that 
when the plant likes its surroundings, and is growing strongly and vigorously, it 
will produce two crops of bloom in one season, flowering first in the late spring 
months, after which it grows again, flowering on the new growths towards the end 
of autumn. | | | - | 
: Lelia prestans is a dwarf evergreen plant, which from growing at considerable _ 
elevations, must not be placed in too high a temperature; in fact, we have observed _ 
oe — , - : a 
