LAELIA. 433 



L. AUTUMNALIS, Lindl. — One of the most useful autumn-flowering Orchids 

 and one that should be in every collection. It is very showy, and has ovate 

 terete ribbed pseudobulbs, bearing two or three oblong-linear spreading leaves, 

 and from the apex flower-scapes 12 inches high or more, often bearing as many 

 as nine flowers on a single spike; the flowers are 4 inches across and fragrant, 

 the perfume being powerful; the lanceolate sepals and the oblong-lanceolate 

 undulated petals of a beautiful rosy-purple colour, the lip with large roundish erect 

 white side lobes, and an oblong lanceolate rose-coloured front lobe reflexed at the 

 tip, the disk spotted and streaked with purple, and bearing two yellow lamellae 

 or crests. It blooms during the autumn and early winter, lasting about a fort- 

 night in good condition. There are several varieties of this plant, some of them 

 much richer in colour than others. This should be grown in the Mexican house 

 either in a pot or on a block. — Mexico. 



'Pm.—Bot. Beg., 1839, t. 27 ; But. Mag., t. .S817 ;. Paxton, Mag. But., vi. p. 121, with 

 tab. ; Bateman, Oreh. Mex. ct 6uat., t. 9 ; Vlllust. Hurt., t. 17 ; Uouli. First Cent. 

 Orcli. PL, t. 26 ; Vcitdi's Man. Orch. PL, ii. p. 61. 



L. AUTUMNALIS ALBA, Williams. — This is a beautiful pure white form, 

 having only a faint tinge of yellow on the disk of the lip. It has flowered with 

 G. 0. Eaphael, Esq., of Englefield Green, and in the Victoria and Paradise 



Nurseries. — Ifexico. 



Fig. — OrcJUd Album, x. t. 451. 



L. AUTUMNALIS ATR0-RU8ENS, Bachliouse.—A. most_magniflcent form of 

 L. autumnalis, in which the bulbs are much larger, and the flower spikes much 

 stronger than those of the type, besides which its blossoms are far deeper and 

 richer in colour ; the flowers are upwards of 4 inches across, and from six to 

 nine are borne on one scape ; the sepals and petals of a brilliant purplish-crimson 

 colour; the middle or front lobe of the lip dark purple-crimson, while the 

 lateral lobes which enclose the deep crimson column are pure white. This 

 striking contrast of white against purple gives to the flower an altogether 

 unique and charming appearance. It flowers in November and December, and 

 lasts about three weeks in perfection. — Mexico. 



Fig-. — OrcMd Alhum, ii. t. 49, 



L. AUTUMNALIS VENUSTA, Hort.—A very fine form, with broad sepals, 

 petals, and lip ; tips of sepals and petals flushed with deep rosy-purple, throat 

 pure white. It flowered in the collection of the late A. Wilson, Esq., of West- 

 brook, Shefiield. 



L. AUTUMNALIS XANTHOTROPIS, Behh. /.—In growth this plant is some- 

 what distinct, the leaves being much smaller than the typical plant. Sepals and 

 petals soft rose, the petals much broader than the sepals, all tipped with rosy- 

 purple ; lip large, the front lobe transversely-oblong, rosy-purple, with a yellow 

 base. Flowers in the summer months. — Mexico. 



Fie. — Reicheniachia, i. t. 10. 



L. BELLA — See Laelio-Oattleya bella. 



L. BOOTHIANA See Cattleya lobata. 



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