LALIA EXONIENSIS. 
[Puate 443.] 
Garden Hybrid. 
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs erect, stout, club-shaped, smooth when young, enveloped 
in large membraneous sheaths, but becoming somewhat thin and wrinkled. with age, 
bearing on the apex a single leaf, which is from nine inches to a foot long, oblong- 
ligulate, obtuse, thick and leathery in texture, and rich deep green. The scape springs 
from an erect, stout, oblong sheath, and the raceme bears from four to five richly- 
coloured flowers, which measure from five to six inches across. Sepals lanceolate, plane 
over the column, the middle lobe expanded, beautifully frilled and undulated, white 
-externally, as also are the side lobes, slightly flushed with rose, the whole surface 
of the anterior lobe inside being of an intense shade of deep rich purple, having a 
marginal border of white, the throat yellow, streaked with purple. 
L&LIA EXONIENSIS, Veitch’s Manual of Orchidaceous Plants, Part ii., p. 95. 
CATTLEYA EXONIENSIS, Reichenbach fil, Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1867, p. 1144; 
Warner’s Select Orchidaceous Plants, ii., t. 36. 
$n 
This plant is a hybrid, raised by our old friend, the late Mr. Dominy, in the 
Exeter nurseries of Messrs. James Veitch and Sons, now of Chelsea; it was one of 
his earliest efforts, and by the great majority of Orchid growers it is still held to have 
been one of his best achievements. Owing to some laxity in keeping the records 
-of the crosses in the early days of Orchid hybridisation there is some doubt 
respecting its parentage, and the doubt has not been satisfactorily cleared up to 
this day. It is usually said to be a cross between Cattleya Mossie and Laelia 
purpurata, but there is little in the plant to suggest C. Mossie being one of its - 
parents. The other supposition, and one in which we ourselves concur, is that 
L. crispa and L. purpurata are responsible for this rare beauty. The very finest 
example which we ever saw of this plant was in the excellent collection brought 
together by the late Mr. Dawson, of Meadow Bank, Uddingstone, N.B., and so 
admirably managed by his gardener, Mr. Anderson. It was a variety very similar 
to the one here portrayed, and the fine plant had sixty of its gorgeous flowers fully 
‘developed at the same time, which was a sight we think worthy of notice, and is 
very rarely equalled. 
We are indebted to the liberality of G. F. Tautz, Esq., for the opportunity of 
laymg a portrait of this fine plant before our subscribers, the plant from which 
