LAELIO-CATTLEYA. 451 



" This originally appeared in 1855, in the collection of Consul Schiller, 

 of Hamburg, and was said to have been imported from Rio Janeiro, 

 though it seems more probable that it came from the Santa Catherina 

 district. The original form had white flowers, and an obscurely three- 

 lobed lip, the front lobe and tips of the side lobes amethyst-purple, a 

 purple line along the disk, and a little yellow in the throat. Round 

 this original form a number of variations group themselves, which, if 

 less numerous than in the preceding, have been more misunderstood, 

 as will be seen by the undermentioned synonymy. The variety 

 Stehiveriana has a nearly entire lip, as in Laelia jmrpurata, with some 

 light yellow in the throat. The one called euspatlia is very similar, but 

 has a broader lip with yellow throat, and a slight flush of pink in the 

 sepals and petals. Wolstenholmiae has a nearly white ground with some- 

 veins and dots of purple along the margins. The lip is narrow and 

 nearly entire, amethyst-purple in front, with a maroon disk, 'and th& 

 sides much paler. Warneri is a form with a near'ly entire lip which,, 

 like the preceding, has hitherto been referred to L. x elegans. The- 

 form called Laelia x elegans alba also belongs here, and has a three- 

 lobed lip as in Cattleya intermedia. Lastly may be mentioned Laelia x 

 Measvresiana, -svliich apparent^ is also a variety of the present one. It 

 has white flowers with an entire lip, rose-coloured in front, and veined 

 with purple in the centre, and stained with yellow in the front. 



" As in the preceding case, we see in the jiresent hybrid a distinct 

 combination of characters derived from the parent species, both in the 

 vegetative organs and flowers, and sometimes we find the entire lip of 

 Laelia piirpurata, at others the three-lobed one of Caiileya intei-media.. 

 Considering the marked difference between Cattleya Leopoldi and 

 C. intermedia, there should be little difficulty in distinguishing the twOy 

 corresponding hybrids." 



Having ourselves experienced great diflnculty in determining^ 

 Laelia. elegans, and its allied forms and varieties, we think the above 

 statement by Mr. Rolfe in a great measure solves the difficulty, 

 and the thanks of Orchidists are due to him for having so patiently 

 endeavoured to elucidate the mystery connected with this group of 

 hybrids. 



Culture. — Same as for Cattleya and Laelia, which see. 



29* 



