LALIA PURPURATA RUSSELLIANA. 
(PLATE 269. ] 
Native of St. Catherine’s, Brazil. 
Epiphytal. Pseudobulbs erect, clavate, oblong, deeply furrowed, two feet or 
more in height, bearing a single leaf at the top. Leaves narrowly oblong, obtuse 
and emarginate, bluntly carinate, coriaceous in texture, and deep green in colour. 
Peduncle erect, rising from between a large compressed leafy spathe at the base 
of the leaf, three to five-flowered. Flowers large, about six inches across ; sepals 
_ Iinear-lanceolate, suffused with lilac ; petals much broader than the sepals, undulated 
at the edges, more deeply suffused with lilac, and ornamented with a deep lilac 
central stripe. Jip large, spreading in front, convolute, and rolled over the column, 
e lobes very obscure, rosy lilac, passing into soft lilac at the margins, and 
strongly veined with rosy purple, throat light yellow, conspicuously streaked with- 
_ ‘Tosy purple. 
Laua Russettrana, Hort.; Williams, Orchid-Grower’s Manual, 6 ed., p. 366. 
LaLa purpuraTa Rugsenirana, Walliams, supra. . 
— The distinct form of Lelia purpurata which we here portray is one that was 
— Russelliana many years ago, in honour of the late Provost Russell, of 
_ Falkirk, N.B., in whose collection it was blooming in great perfection, and it was, 
hg time, the only plant we had seen. Since then, however, large masses of 
= a : variety have been imported, the specimens coming mixed with the impor- 
gg of L. purpurata, from which, when out of flower, ZL. purpurata Russelliana 
de be distinguished, as it resembles the former so much in erowth; however, it 
oe: appear to be very abundant in its native habitats. We have flowered 
— of this plant during the last two years, which we recognised at once 
ae the same variety as Mr. Russell’s plant, and as we happily had a sketch 
noel mp Russelliana by us, we could compare it with the living plant and 
ee = identity. We are glad to know that Orchid collectors have been 
cae Saad “gain finding this plant, as it is a chaste and beautiful variety. We are 
ratified to find that many distinct and splendid forms of L. purpurata have 
ie ee ied the past few years, many of them being extremely rich in the 
a Some of which we hope to be able to figure. Lelia purpurata 
ae - ie of our finest Orchids, and ,it would be difficult to conceive a 
- that presented by a specimen of L. purpurata with twenty to 
as 8 Sorgeous: flowers upon it: but such have been flowered and 
: uring the past few years. We 
‘ 
are indebted to the kindness of F. G._ 
