45 
20. 
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Pi. Di 
LAELIA AUTUMNALIS unpt. var. ALBA Horr. 
AUTUMNAL LAELIA, WHITE VARIETY. 
LAELIA. Vide Lindenia, 11, p. 49. 
Laelia autumnalis. Foliis oblongo-lanceolatis carinatis arcuatis, scapo elongato multifloro, pseudobulbis turbi- 
natis sulcatis. Pseudobulbi bipollicares. Folia bina aut terna. Scapus tripedalis, purpurascens, bracteis membranaceis 
cinctus. Flores fragrantissimi. 
Laelia autumnalis Linpu., Gen. et Sp. Orch., p. 115. — Bot. Reg., 1839, pl. 27. — Paxt., Mag. Bot., VI, 
Pp. 121. — Bot. Mag., pl. 3817. — BaTEM., Orch. Mex. et Guat., pl. 9. — Hook., Cent. Orch., pl. 27. — Ill. Hort. 
1854, pl. 17. 
Bletia autumnalis LuavE, Nov. Veg. Descr., 2, 19. — Rcup. F., Xen. Orch., Il, p. 56. 
Var, alba. Floribus candidis, labello medio luteo. 
Var. alba Hort., infra. 
4 he Laelia autumnalis is one of the most popular Orchids, and which 
| holds an important place in every collection. Being widely dispersed 
throughout Mexico, it is plentiful in the glass-houses of Europe ; its 
flowers, of a very fine rose purple, are placed well at the top of a pleasingly 
inclined stem, and render great service for the decoration of the houses at the 
end of the Autumn. 
It is, with the Laelia anceps, the type of a class and culture, as may very 
well be called the culture of the Mexican Orchids. The Laelias of Mexico demand 
an intermediate house between the cold and temperate houses, which answers 
for the majority of the genus. They are of easy growth quickly form strong 
masses, and are as a rule very accommodating. It is only necessary to take care, 
to give them their rest at the time required. 
Laelia autumnalis was introduced in 1836, when it flowered in England in 
the houses of an amateur of the name of Mr Taytor. 
The variety alba, that we figure, is extremely rare, and its appearance is of 
a recent date, as far as we are able to judge, for we can find scarcely any traces 
of it in the special publications. It is very fine, and will always be much sought 
for, as indeed are all the albino forms. The colour white is very rare among the 
Orchids of the temperate house and except Laelia albida, another very elegant 
Mexican species, but of much smaller stature than either L. anceps or L. autumnalis. 
The plant that served for the model of our coloured plate flowered last 
November among an importation at the L’Horricutrure INTERNATIONALE. 
It was exposed at the meeting of the OrcHIDEENNE on the 10" of November, 
and had very great success; the jury on this occasion unanimously awarded it a 
first class certificate of merit. 
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